The monkeys
Barbary macaques originate from the mountainous forest regions of Morocco and Algeria. There they live at altitudes of over 2000m. As a result, they are used to cold, snowy weather in winter and warm, dry temperatures in summer (similar to the climate in the park).
Barbary macaques are the only African macaques. All other macaque species live in Asia. 300 years ago, Barbary macaques still lived throughout North Africa, but today they are only found in the wild in Morocco and Algeria. The monkeys grow up in large groups. The sex ratio within the groups is usually evenly distributed - in other words, there are roughly as many males as females. Each group colonizes its own territory. There they live on high trees to protect themselves from ground predators, especially at night.
There is a social hierarchy within the group: the leader is an adult male between 10 and 15 years old. On average, this male can hold his own as leader for a few years until a younger male asserts himself. Babies play an important role as social mediators between males. This is because they enable the male monkeys to establish friendly contact with each other. The monkeys also lovingly care for their offspring - unlike other monkey species. They carry, protect and care for their babies.
Animal welfare
In recent decades, the number of Barbary macaques in Morocco and Algeria has fallen dramatically. As a result, the monkeys' existence is now threatened and they are classified as critically endangered on the Red List. The main reasons for this are the destruction of habitats and the illegal animal trade. It is estimated that there are fewer than 8,000 Barbary macaques left in the wild. This means that the population of monkeys in La Montagne des Singes Park forms a valuable reserve population.
The organization of the zoo also makes an enormous contribution to the protection of the endangered animals. On the one hand, the organization tries to sensitize its visitors to the issue through education. On the other hand, they support campaigns to protect the Barbary macaques and ensure the reintegration of Barbary macaque groups in North Africa. Almost 600 Barbary macaques from the park have already been successfully reintroduced into the wild in Morocco. They also conduct behavioral research together with scientists in order to better understand the behavior of the monkey species.