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Immediate action is required to stop the poaching of Barbary Macaques in North Africa for the illegal pet trade to Europe Click photo to enlarge ©Michel Gunther / WWF-CanonCambridge, UK, 1 May 2008—The Barbary Macaque Macaca sylvanus is declining because of habitat loss and demand for the illegal pet trade, according to a paper published in the latest issue of the TRAFFIC Bulletin, the only scientific journal to focus on wildlife trade issues.
The illegal macaque trade became apparent in the late 1990s, after zoological parks and sanctuaries in Europe noticed a significant increase in numbers of Barbary Macaques offered to zoos by ex-owners or seized by law enforcement authorities, mainly in France, Belgium, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. The trade in Barbary Macaques is illegal in Morocco without a permit, although the laws are poorly enforced. The EU has suspended imports of wild macaques since 2000.
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