Illegal trade in Barbary macaques

Abstract

While Morocco is well known as the main port between Africa and the EU for the illegal drugs trade and migration, the illegal trade in wildlife is flourishing as well. Next to the illegal large-scale trafficking of tortoises and birds, it is estimated that as few as 5,000 Barbary macaques remain in Morocco, partly as a result of the illegal trade. Moreover, the Barbary macaque is the most seized CITES mammal in the EU, accounting for almost 25% of live mammal-related seizures. Of all the confiscations of illegal shipments with Barbary macaques, 90% originate from Morocco and are confiscated in Spain due to a lack of CITES documentation. Although it was believed that the trade was loosely based on the tourist industry, a high degree of (criminal) organization has been found in this study on the illegal trade in Barbary macaques. Sophisticated methods combined with high profits and large ordered numbers of Barbary macaques, coordinated by well-organised, semi-loose networks characterize this type of crime.