Get up close and personal with primates on the Rock, watch out they might bite
By Scott Schonauer,
Stars and Stripes
Scott Schonauer / Stars and Stripes
The Barbary macaques are Gibraltar's famous tailless monkeys. |
Wonder what it would be like to go to a zoo, climb the fence to
Monkey Island and feed the primates?
Visit the Apes Den in Gibraltar, and you get the idea.
More than 260 Barbary apes, actually tailless monkeys known as Macaca
Sylvanus, boldly roam the upper level of the Rock. They are the only wild monkeys living
in Europe and have called Gibraltar home for two hundred years.
They are the Rock’s most famous attraction.
And no trip would be complete without a visit.
The monkeys are cute, fun and photogenic. Some will eat out of your
hand, leap from tree to tree like a circus trapeze daredevil and appear to almost strike a
pose for a photograph.
But these animals also can have a mean streak and are known to pick a
pocket like a crafty street thief.
"And they will bite," said Francis Gail, product
coordinator for the Gibraltar Tourist Board.
Keep your eyes peeled for...
Pouting: Keep your distance.
It’s a warning.
Teeth chattering: They do this to
calm down and make-up after confrontations.
Grooming: Keeps their fur clean and
is a social activity. They spend about 20 percent of their day grooming each other. At
stressful times, adults may grab an infant, hold it between them and tooth-chatter. This
behavior is unique to the Gibraltar monkeys, known as Barbary Macaques. It is thought to
help keep peace in the group.
Infant Care: It takes a pack of adult
monkeys to raise a monkey. Mothers often allow "aunts" to care for the babies.
Even male Barbary Macaques take an interest in the infants. Males often can be seen
carrying babies and defending them. However, you might see teeth chattering when a
protective mother gets upset with an overly enthusiastic babysitter.
Source: Gibraltar Tourist
Board |
Another warning: They also are known to fornicate when the mood
arises and defecate on top of cars and people’s heads.
There are numerous stories about visitors getting harassed by hungry
monkeys looking for a snack.
Although the visitors are discouraged from feeding them, few people
heed such advice, offering everything from peanuts to uncooked spaghetti noodles.
How the monkeys arrived in Gibraltar has been debated for years and
their ongoing presence has made them the subject of dozens of stories.
Legend has it that they migrated from North Africa through a natural
tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar. Although there are underground passageways under the
water, scientists discount such a theory because the caverns are filled with toxic fumes.
The monkeys most likely arrived in Gibraltar as game for the British
garrison and thrived because of the rough terrain, according to the Gibraltar Tourist
Board. Now, they are a revered part of the peninsula even if they can get a little rowdy.
The old saying is that if the monkeys disappear from the U.K. colony,
so will the British.
After World War II, some feared that such a scenario would come true.
Because of natural causes, the monkeys were on the brink of
extinction. However, Sir Winston Churchill stepped in and imported dozens of monkeys from
Morocco to replenish the population.
Today, an environmental company takes care of them and the monkeys
are thriving.
Since 1990, the monkey population has grown, forcing locals to tackle
an entirely different problem: too many monkeys. To thin the numbers, the government for
the first time exported a few monkeys to zoos in Europe.
Back to July stories
Page Two news roundup
Stories from June, 2001
Stories from May, 2001
Stories from April, 2001
Stories from March, 2001
Stories from February,2001
Stories from January, 2001
Stories from December, 2000
Stories from November, 2000
Stories from October, 2000
Stories from August and September, 2000
Stories from June and July, 2000
Home |
