Richard Engel, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent, and primatologist Dr. Cleve Hicks visit Bili, a remote village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to see what is considered the largest population of chimpanzees. In the jungle, the animals are “under threat in this war torn region,” Engel reports. The Americans walk the Bili market — where monkey meat is part of the trade.
Dr. Hicks explains that while the monkey they see sold in the market isn’t rare, there are health risks for human beings who eat monkey meat. “Eating primate meat like this puts all of humanity at danger.” Hicks provides a possible scenario where a hunter who has a cut on his hand is cutting a monkey to be sold for food and blood gets into the hunter’s cut: “that might be a great way for a primate virus to take a leap into humans.” Dateline: On Assignment, a new NBC News series, airs Sundays at 7pm on NBC.
360 tour of where monkey meat is traded. Cleve Hicks explains dangers. “Mystery Apes” Sunday, May 8th at 7/6c https://t.co/FEtY4NJaao
— Richard Engel (@RichardEngel) May 8, 2016
