Rousset primatology station: the same fate for all the primates exploited
Whether they come from the same bloodlines or not, primates in laboratories share the same daily reality: suffering. The information, albeit partial, contained in the documents received from the CNRS and the University of Aix-Marseille concerning the protocols using these animals paints a chilling picture of the real “living” conditions of rhesus macaques. Many were born or passed through the Rousset site, which is looking to expand its operation.
Iroquoise, born in 2013 in Rousset, had numerous injuries caused by fights between individuals made aggressive by captivity and the intense stress of invasive tests. She gave birth to Indira in 2017. Both were used in the same project. Indira, like her mother, had visible signs of trauma on her face: wounds, scratches, injuries, and bites.
Behind these names are lives. Sentient beings, capable of fear, attachment, and pain. Because rhesus macaques are surprising creatures, among the few mammals that blush with pleasure, like many birds that use color to attract mates.
In a breeding facility like Rousset, their stories fade into obscurity behind administrative reports, but the torture inflicted upon them is repeated—generation after generation.
The common thread among all these primates: daily suffering
Whether they were born in Rousset, transferred from other centers, or exploited in different projects, they all share the same fate: confinement, deprivation, pain. Behind the protocols and scientific terms, their distress is the only constant.
Akira, who was born in 2009 in Rousset and died in 2018, underwent the insertion of cranial pins and chambers that became infected. Wounds are also reported, caused by fights with other primates due to their conditions of captivity. Researchers’ notes indicate:
“Still showing signs of cortical collapse following cleaning of the chamber. Animal not well in cage: head back, drooling, vomiting, weak”.
In 2018, it was noted:
“Animal not well in cage at 6 p.m. Bristled hair and vomiting observed during the day. […] then decision to operate on him the next day as an emergency to remove the chamber”.
The next day, Akira died on the operating table.
Eliott, born in 2009 in Rousset and deceased in 2019, was subjected to a research project on the effects of cocaine, forcing him to take repeated doses of the drug. The notes mention that he remained “in a dazed state (staring into space and listless posture) for several days”. He was attacked by other monkeys, requiring staples to be inserted. The records report numerous injuries due to fights. Electrical stimulators were implanted in his chest.
These excerpts reflect the physical and psychological violence inflicted on these animals, victims of prolonged and invasive protocols.
This is how, in 2025, primates are still being used and treated in our country’s laboratories.
Far from moving towards a reduction in animal experimentation, France is instead embarking on the path of industrializing primate breeding, in total contradiction with European objectives to transition to alternative methods.
The expansion of the CNRS site in Rousset, planned to turn it into a national breeding facility, is proof of this. Behind the technocratic term “National Center for Primatology” lies a brutal reality: the expansion of a site intended to produce and supply ever more monkeys for exploitation. Together, let’s make the voices of these animals heard: join us in calling for the cancellation of this project!