saving Barbary macaques in one of their last remaining habitats

We work to protect dwindling Barbary macaque populations in Northern Africa.

Problem 

Due to habitat loss and poaching for the exotic pet ownership, Barbary macaques are endangered animals and have been listed on CITES Appendix I; which generally prohibits international trade in these species to prevent extinction. Poachers visiting or living in Morocco find and capture infant and juvenile macaques. Then, they either sell them to vendors for use as entertainment in touristic hubs across the country, or they smuggle them into Europe for the exotic pet industry in places like Spain, France, and Belgium. 

Solution

Our attention focuses on Ifrane National Park in the Middle Atlas in Morocco, where over 50% of the world’s Barbary macaques live. We’ve hired 10 local scouts to monitor the macaque population by patrolling 125.000 ha every day and every night and reporting on any poaching attempts or threats in Ifrane National Park. We’re also educating thousands of park visitors about these primates and advocating to stop illegal logging in the park to save their natural habitat. 

In addition, our community engagement work focuses on helping community members identify and take action on important issues, once of which is reducing human-wildlife conflict at small-scale fruit farms close to the park.  

We’re also working with Moroccan authorities including customs officials, police and wildlife officers, to build their capacity through our DISRUPT and LAST trainings and strengthen the screening process that detects wildlife smuggling at the country’s borders. In cases where macaques are found and confiscated, we work to ensure that the animals are humanely handled and properly cared for, and that the law enforcement agents remain safe and uninjured.