This site will be continually under construction and changing as the states, counties and municipals continually change their regulations and laws. These are the current regulations for 1996 that we have received to date. If you have other information, please let us know the citations of those laws or regulations, the state and when the changes went or will go into effect by sending e-mail to lawschange@monkeymaddness.com.
There are no specific laws concerning private or commercial ownership of primates in New Mexico. The only document legally required to bring in and privately maintain a primate in the state is an importation document, which is regulated by the state. The Game and Fish Department can interfere with ownership of a primate if this documentation does not exist and the animal is imported illegally - or if the animal is an endangered species. Illegal ownership comes to the attention of the Game and Fish Department only via reports from concerned neighbors of primate owners. The authorities are said to discourage importation of the larger primates, but do not regard importation of smaller primates as seriously. New Mexico's main concern with importing any exotic, non indigenous animal is the competition and crossbreeding that it may impose upon native wildlife. Primates being used in education and research are considered legal in the state as long as they will not be released as free-ranging animals. Temporary blanket permits are administered to traveling shows regardless of the primates involved or the care they receive.