Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus), Algeria.
Image: Hamza-sia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Macaca sylvanus says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The Barbary macaque is the only macaque in Africa and the only wild monkey in Europe (on Gibraltar). It is assessed as Endangered.
It lives in cedar and oak forests and, unusually for a macaque, has only a stub of a tail.
Range & habitat
Mountain forests of Morocco and Algeria, with a famous introduced group on Gibraltar.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Capture for the illegal pet trade
- Habitat loss and overgrazing
- Conflict with people
Why it matters
The only African macaque and Europe's only wild primate, the Barbary macaque is a flagship for North African mountain forests and against the primate pet trade.
Sources
Sources for Barbary Macaque
- IUCN Red List — look up Barbary Macaque (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there monkeys on Gibraltar?
A population of Barbary macaques lives on Gibraltar, the only wild monkeys in Europe; they are descended from animals from North Africa and are now a famous local attraction.
Why is the Barbary macaque Endangered?
Published assessments cite capture for the illegal pet trade, habitat loss and overgrazing, and conflict with people. See the IUCN Red List.