Texas border patrol agents found seven spider monkeys in a backpack of a person who tried to smuggle the animals from Mexico into the United States. Spider monkeys, native to the forests of Central and South America, are known for their long limbs and lengthy tails.
“Extremely proud of our agents for stopping this wildlife smuggling attempt of these critically endangered animals,” US Border Patrol said in a Facebook post on Friday, adding a video of the baby spider monkeys, who looked scared.
Their current health condition has not been publicly revealed, but the animals were handed over to US Fish and Wildlife Service.
At least six spider monkey species living in Central and South America are considered endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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