On a 500-acre (200-hectare) plot of land near a small Louisiana town north of New Orleans in the US, about 5,000 monkeys climb and lounge in an enclosure.
Many of the primates, mostly rhesus macaques, at the Tulane National Research Center are destined for use in scientific research, including in experiments for Covid-19.
The facility, with high-level biosafety laboratories able to handle biological threat agents like anthrax, was well-positioned to pivot quickly to Covid-19 research when the coronavirus pandemic hit.
The use of animals for testing has been criticized by animal rights groups like PETA, who argue the primates wouldn't have to be killed if they weren't used for the research.
- Reuters -
