Upper Rock Nature Reserve: A Management and Action Plan

14. Barbary Macaques
Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society - GONHS
Barbary Macaques
The Barbary macaque Macaca sylvanus, known locally as the Rock Ape, is the only freeranging
wild primate in Europe. Its European range is restricted to the Rock of Gibraltar,
where they have possibly been present since the Moorish occupation of the Iberian
Peninsula from 711ad. Records of their presence during the British occupation date back as
far as 1740 (Burton 1972; Dawn Carroll 2001).
In 1915, the Armed Forces in Gibraltar took on responsibility for the Barbary macaques
on the Rock, with the Gibraltar Volunteer Corps managing the population (MacRoberts &
MacRoberts1966; Dawn Carroll 2001). This consisted of regular feeding, allegedly in order
to prevent the macaques from wandering down to town in search of food, and maintaining
the population at a fixed number through culling. Initially, the population was maintained at
twenty-five animals, and then at a minimum of thirty-four as from 1955 (Burton & Sawchuk
1974; Dawn Carroll 2001). Between 1939 and 1945 the population was restocked repeatedly
with animals from North Africa (MacRoberts 1970, Burton & Sawchuk 1974; 1984, Dawn
Carroll 2001, Cortes & Shaw 2003 in press). At one time during this period the population
was critically low and was restocked at the request of the Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom at the time, Sir Winston Churchill, on the basis of the legend that Gibraltar would
only remain under British rule as long as there were Barbary macaques on the Rock of
Gibraltar (Cortes & Finlayson 1988).
Originally, the macaques were restricted to one group at Queen’s Gate, also known as
the ‘Apes Den’. At a later date a second group became established at Middle Hill. These
two packs remained under the responsibility of The Gibraltar Regiment until 1990, when the
Gibraltar Tourism Agency, owned by the Gibraltar Government, took over the responsibility of
the Queen’s Gate group at the ‘Apes’ Den’. The management of this group was contracted
out to ‘MEDAMBIOS’ from 1990 until 1992, after which the Gibraltar Tourism Agency took
over the management of the site, together with responsibility over the entire population. In
1992 Sights Management Ltd. was contracted by the Gibraltar Tourism Agency to manage
the Barbary macaques (Fa & Lind 1996; Isola & Isola 1993; Dawn Carroll 2001). This
arrangement continued until 1997 when the Gibraltar Tourism Agency ended the contract and
took over responsibility for the management for the next two years. In 1999, after lengthy
discussions, the contract was awarded to the Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History
Society (GONHS). At present the responsibility for the feeding and management of the
Barbary macaques still lies with this organisation.
14.1 Documentation & Research
In 1915 the Army took over responsibility for the Barbary macaques, but it was not until
1920 that a record of numbers was kept, although this was not consistent until the early
1940’s (MacRoberts & MacRoberts 1966; Dawn Carroll 2001). All the observed births since
World War II were recorded in the Regimental Records up to 1992, with the names of different
personalities in Gibraltar bestowed on new macaques. Twice a year the Regiment would
carry out a census of the Barbary macaques. Obviously identification of individuals was not
always conclusive and inaccuracies in this and exact numbers were possible (Burton &
Sawchuk 1974; Dawn Carroll 2001), but since only one person of the Regiment was charged
with the task of looking after the macaque’s interests, the possibility of error was greatly
reduced. Only four persons, usually sergeants, were tasked with this appointment between
1935 and 1990. The last two were Sergeant Alfred Holmes and Private Kenneth Asquez.
In 1992 Sights Management took over the responsibility of the macaques on contract
from the Gibraltar Tourism Agency. During this period, the Barbary macaque population
increased from the two groups at Queen’s Gate and Middle Hill, the former splitting into three
to form a new group at Anglian Way and another at Prince Philip’s Arch, and the latter forming
the groups at Farringdon’s Battery, Princess Caroline’s Battery and Middle Hill. The feeding
staff in charge of the macaques, now headed by Mr. Mark Zammitt, recorded newly born
individuals. However, documentation for this period is sparse.
During the early 1980s Dr John Fa researched the Barbary macaque in Gibraltar for his
doctoral thesis. His research and subsequent papers (e.g., Fa 1984; Fa and Lind 1986), on
this subject made him a world authority on this particular animal. Based on his wide knowledge
and experience on the subject he was awarded the contract for the management of the
macaques, under the company name ‘MEDAMBIOS’, from 1990 to 1992. During this time
he introduced a rudimentary interpretation centre at Queen’s Gate with the introduction of
wardens to control traffic and provide information to tourists at the site. He also improved the
feeding of the animals and focused on the conservation of the species.
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