Did you
know there are wild monkeys in Europe? Well, not specifically in Portugal, but
pretty close – in Gibraltar, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in
Spain. They occupy Gibraltar’s ‘Rock’, which is home to five troops of monkeys,
known by the locals as monos (Spanish for monkeys).
Gibraltar
is home to the only wild monkey population in the whole of Europe. They are
Barbary Macaques and are Gibraltar’s crown jewel of wildlife, and an important
tourism draw.
They
dominate the Rock, and as the last free-ranging monkeys left in Europe, they
unwittingly milk that privilege, oblivious to the anxiety they cause as they
run amok through town, foraging in rubbish bins and harassing the locals. They
have grown so used to humans now that little scares them, not even the sharp
flick of a broom or the shrill screams of children.
The theory
behind their presence is that they were probably brought to Gibraltar as pets
by the Moors, who lived there between 700 and 1492. However, there is another
school of thought that believes the original macaques were leftovers from a
population that had spread over southern Europe up to 5 million years ago.
There’s a
legend that between 1779 and 1782 during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, a
combined effort between France and Spain was undertaken to seize Gibraltar back
from the British. Apparently during a surprise attack one night, the monkeys
were disturbed, which resulted in the British being alerted by the noise, and
the attack was abandoned. This event created the legend that so long as the
monkeys live on the Rock, the British have control and the territory will
remain safely under British rule.
The British
have embraced this piece of folklore - not even Churchill, in the throes of
World War II - ignored it. Macaque numbers had diminished to a handful in 1944,
and with British morale flagging and the Rock's monkey population dwindling, he
took no chances. He secretly ordered a shipment of Barbary macaques to boost
the monkey population.
Why is
Gibraltar so important?
Gibraltar
is a mere 5k long and 1.2 wide and ‘The Rock’ itself Is 426 m high. This
peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean, despite being an obvious part of
Spain, was ceded to Britain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht at the end of the War
of Spanish Succession. It is a strategic position where the Med and Atlantic
join, and at its narrowest point, is only 8.9 miles wide, which results in
close geographical proximity for Europe to Africa.
There are
now nearly 300 of these tailless primates on Gibraltar, and analysis of their
DNA reveals that they are descended from macaques from Morocco and Algeria.
Little did Churchill envision how big the monkey population would grow, nor the
shenanigans that would come along with it.
They are
still wild animals, despite their familiarity with humans. Surprisingly, there
is plenty of wild food on the Rock for the macaques - their plant diet ranges
from olive leaves and fruits to the roots of introduced Bermuda buttercups, and
this is supplemented with live prey, such as small lizards and numerous
invertebrates.
Neighbours
or Nuisances?
But
inevitably, being highly intelligent and adaptable, the monkeys also are fond
of human handouts – and therein lies the problem. Young macaques climb onto the
roofs of tourist buses, and hang precariously onto the wing mirrors, tapping at
the glass. Tourists crowd around these friendly macaques to take selfies.
People hand out peanuts and food, despite signs everywhere saying ‘please do
not feed the macaques’, and they will happily steal your phone or bag in their
cheeky quest for food, and people get bitten or scratched, mainly when the food
they were after was forcefully taken away.
Barbary
macaques live in large, social groups, and within the group there is a strict
hierarchy. Each animal knows its place within the group - the babies of the
mothers with a high status are lucky. The babies ‘inherit’ that high status.
The males must decide amongst themselves who’s boss. I guess it’s a case of
monkey rule in this corner of Europe!
Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man.
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Having been there only a few days ago you have missed the local rumour that they arrived through the tunnel from Africa.
By Peter from Algarve on 08 Sep 2022, 20:08
Hélas, the only pestering reality I know is of the Europae Simia species invading the other/ poorer Europae Simia. They seem to enjoy their parasitic lifestyle at the expense of this poorer species. They´re drunk most of the time, loud, and have this persistent delusion that the local, poorer Europae Simia adore them for their mere presence here. They´re completely oblivious to their own History- as is befitting the gross, entitled (mostly white) apes that they are.
By guida from Lisbon on 09 Sep 2022, 05:35
These monkeys are cute furry creatures and sure have staying power in their survival among us humans.
By Lisa from Other on 09 Sep 2022, 15:11
Seeing the Barbary Macaques of Gibraltar was one of the memorable highlights of my enjoyable visit there back in 2014. I went up on the Rock of Gibraltar to see them.
By Steve Andrews from Other on 12 Sep 2022, 12:17