By Matt McGrath Environment
correspondent, Johannesburg
28 September 2016
Europe's only non-human primate,
the Barbary Macaque, has gained the highest level of species protection at the
Cites meeting in Johannesburg.
While about 200 live safely on
the Rock of Gibraltar, they are experiencing rapid decline in their natural
habitats in North Africa.
Hundreds of infants are illegally
taken from the wild each year for European pet markets.
Countries banned any form of trade
in the species.
The Barbary Macaque seems to
specialise in isolation. It's the only African primate species north of the
Sahara and the only macaque species in Africa.
Experts estimate that there are
between 6,500 and 9,100 Barbary Macaques in fragmented populations strung
across Morocco and Algeria. They were categorised as endangered in 2008 as
their numbers plummeted by 50% in 24 years.
While destruction of habitat is a
significant cause of their decline, another important factor is illegal trade.
About 200 infants are taken from
the wild in Morocco each year. Some are used as photo props for tourists in
North Africa. Most are bought by Europeans wanting to raise them as pets.
In Morocco, the animals sell for
up to 450 euros each. In Europe they can fetch 2,000 euros.
"People actually think it
will be a suitable pet, it isn't, it's horrible," said Rikkert Reijnen of
the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Image copyright SPL Image caption
The Gibraltar macaques are popular with tourists
"They need a lot of
attention, they basically wreck your house and as they grow older they start to
follow their natural behaviour, which is sometimes aggressive."
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