Newly released documents have lifted the lid on what Animal-Free Science Advocacy (AFSA) describes as shocking and systemic cruelty inside Australia’s largely secretive primate research industry.
Records from the baboon breeding facility at Wallacia, NSW, operated by the Sydney Local Health District, detail a series of traumatic deaths, invasive experiments and prolonged suffering with much of it occurring out of sight and, at times, without staff present.
The case of baboon S41 and her baby
Histopathology reports obtained by AFSA under FOI detail the extreme suffering endured by a pregnant baboon known as S41. She was impregnated, subjected to multiple invasive interventions, and forced to endure the loss of her baby under extreme conditions—alone, in a barren steel cage. Her case stands as one of the most confronting examples uncovered in the documents.
In the research experiment, S41 underwent invasive surgery to implant a telemetry device into her abdomen while she was pregnant (a digital device that collects physiological data). She was later sedated again and subjected to a procedure in which an embolism (blood clot) was deliberately introduced into an artery to restrict blood flow and oxygen to the uterus in an attempt to study the human condition of preeclampsia by artificially triggering it. She was then sedated a further three times for blood and urine collection.
The following day, S41 went into premature labour alone in a steel cage, with no staff present to monitor or assist. The condition of her baby was recorded in stark terms in the report:
“Deceased baby was in 2 parts: head with the upper limbs/thoracic cavity, and the second part was just the lower limbs and tail. The left side of the skull was missing, the organs of thoracic and abdominal cavities were missing, the tip of the tail missing and the right hind foot also missing.”
But adding to this disturbing story, other documents go on to reveal that sometime later, S41 herself, was found deceased, having been dragged out of her cage by cage mates. Histopathology findings were suggestive of heart failure.
Beyond the ethical concerns, the reports also raise serious scientific questions. Repeated anaesthesia and the stress of invasive handling during pregnancy are well known to compromise fetal outcomes, calling into question whether the results of such experiments can be reliably attributed to the induced procedures.
This is not an isolated case
Other records reveal a pattern of suffering across the facility. An infant baboon suffered a catastrophic brain injury after being pulled through gaps in an enclosure. Animals were left to deteriorate with illness—losing weight, suffering diarrhoea and barely eating before death. One baboon was found dead from intestinal intussusception — a painful condition in which part of the intestine folds into itself.
Several animals were also euthanised for “management reasons,” including being deemed unsuitable for breeding or research.
“The material exposed is not a case of isolated incidents, but a deeply troubling system and some of the deaths are simply horrific,” said Robyn Kirby, AFSA’s Primate Campaign Consultant. “We are seeing extreme suffering, repeated invasive procedures, and animals dying alone overnight without monitoring. This is happening behind closed doors, out of public view.” The lack of overnight supervision has raised urgent questions, with multiple deaths only discovered the following morning.
AFSA argues the findings expose serious gaps in oversight and accountability and are calling for immediate reform. Australia has no national sanctuary system for primates used in research, meaning those who survive experiments remain confined for life in laboratories or breeding colonies.
Public concern is growing
A recent federal parliamentary e-petition calling for all primates to be given the same protections as Great Apes attracted 2,839 signatures in just 30 days. While Great Apes are excluded from research due to their intelligence and social complexity, other primates, despite clear evidence of similar capacities, remain unprotected.
The time for incremental change has passed.
“These are highly intelligent, social animals enduring immense suffering in a system that operates largely in secrecy,” Kirby said. “By extending protections to all primates, Australia has an opportunity to lead globally and set a strong ethical standard. The industry in Australia is small with only a small number of facilities and researchers providing little or no relevance to humans. Australia can no longer justify this. It’s time to extend meaningful protections to all primates.”
To take action against primate experimentation in Australia visit the AFSA campaign to end primate testing.