What a ‘to do’ about what to do about our Apes… or more precisely our Barbary Macaque monkeys!
Earlier this week, Panorama, a local Gibraltar daily, headlined the Uproar over plan to cull apes, reporting on a decison by the Gibraltar Government, to cull a troop of around 25 of Gibraltar most famous resident apes, a group of barbary macaques who inhabit the area around Catalan Bay, on the east side of the Rock of Gibraltar.
Primate experts around the world have roundly condemned the government’s shock decision, which has been made despite repeated requests for a more humane method of population control going back over more than ten years.
The Government announced the plan during Parliament last week in response to an opposition question by GSLP/Liberal spokesman on the environment, Fabian Picardo.
The management of the population of macaques is officially not the direct responsibility of the Gibraltar Government. Since 1999 this has been the responsibility of the Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS ), who were appointed to manage them by the Government itself.
Today the number of Barbary macaques on the Rock of Gibraltar total about 230 individuals living in 6 groups, ranging between 25 and 70 animals in each group. These packs are managed by GONHS with veterinarian expertise provided by the Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic (GVC). Yet, it appears that these organisations were not consulted about the decision to cull and say they are still waiting to discuss the proposal with Ernest Britto, the Minister for the Environment.
The UK based International Primate Protection League (IPPL) has been investigating the situation to find out if the cull will definitely go ahead.
Dr John Cortes, the General Secretary of GONHS reportedly told them:
“Our policy is that culling can be a population management solution but only in extreme cases when there is no other more suitable option. We are pending discussions with the government in Gibraltar and so we are not sure at this time whether it is necessary in this case. We would only ever recommend a cull after very careful assessment of the situation from a veterinary and a genetic point of view.â€
According to the report in Panorama on Tuesday, Albert Bruzon, the Principal Secretary of the Department for the Environment confirmed over the phone to the Head of IPPL UK that the licence for the cull has already been issued and that “the killing of the monkeys is due to be carried out by contractors and that it will start as soon as possibleâ€.
Helen Thirlway, Head of IPPL in the UK, said:
“It is clear that the government of Gibraltar is still not managing their population of Macaques in a responsible manner, despite the fact that they undoubtedly boost the nation’s economy as arguably their most popular tourist attraction.
They have appointed a specialist organisation to be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Macaques, and who have detailed knowledge of each group, and yet they have not even consulted them before deciding on this course of action.â€
This is not the first controversial cull of Gibraltar’s much loved free-roaming Barbary Macaques. In 2003, a top primatologist, Dr Robert Martin, pulled out of his field research and boycotted a conference he had helped to organise in protest at the culling of half of his study group.
Of this recent turn of events, Dr Martin says:
“I am saddened, but not surpised, to learn that there is still no effective management in place and that those in charge of the macaques (presumably including GONHS) are now resorting to culling yet again.
I wish you every success with your campaign against the culling. It is quite disgraceful that, despite receiving sound advice in 1997, the people in charge of the macaques have taken no effective action to manage the population in a way that would benefit all concerned.”
GONHS have confirmed that, together with the Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic, they have started an ongoing programme of population control using contraceptive implants but that it is a difficult and complex process.
IPPL is considering calling on UK citizens to boycott Gibraltar’s tourist industry until the Gibraltar Government pledge to stop using culling as a method of population control and instead invest in alternative methods.
Helen Thirlway concluded:
“There have been many advances and pilot studies in recent years on different methods of controlling free-roaming monkeys.
We are more than happy to work with the government of Gibraltar and with GONHS to help them develop more efficient, alternative solutions but this needless slaughter has to stop.â€
In a press release today Gibraltar’s Progressive Democratic Party strongly questioned the Government decision on the proposed culling of the 25 monkeys. The PDP say the Government should be “much more explicit” and ask that it “produce evidence of its attempts to try other methods” asking why the cull “is inevitable now”.
Rosemarie Peach, a PDP media spokesperson asks if culling is really the solution?:
“It is true to say that these animals cause problems and upset many residents, particularly in the Catalan Bay, Upper Town and Moorish Castle areas. This is historical and happened even in the 1970’s when their numbers were nowhere as great as they are today. Of course these residents must be protected but is culling really the solution that currently needs to be used to tackle this problem – especially when elsewhere in the world these animals are becoming an endangered species?”
The PDP statement adds that “one has to question why these problems occur and appreciate that they cannot be attributed solely to these animals who are doing what nature intends them to do”.
Echoing GONHS John Cortes’ comments, the PDP spokesperson adds:
“These animals are natural foragers. They are not being helped to be less of a nuisance by measures taken by Government.
Culling should only be used as a very last resort when all other avenues for the protection of the public has been tried and failed. Government tell us that they have reached that point – hence their decision.
Surely, if a properly funded management plan were in place the numbers of animals could have been adequately controlled. Selected culls have been used previously but why have the lessons of the past not been learnt to ensure that these methods did not have to be used again in future?”
The PDP statement adds some constructive suggestions, that perhaps reflect the mood of the local public, that the Government should consider, before resorting to culling.
“There must also be some way to contain these animals as are used in National Parks all over the world.
Has Government thought of looking into the possibility of opening a second Apes Den, introducing a more vigorous contraception or sterilisation programme or having a planned exportation scheme to send apes to zoos or reserves worldwide.
It may be that these options have been explored but Government should satisfy the public that this is so by publishing the Ape Management Plan that it has mentioned and the results of its investigations.”
The PDP are calling on the Government to “make public any reports or advice that they may have received from primate experts that will show exactly why culling is necessary” and conclude their statement with an emphatic call for better management of the issue by the Government:
“Failing Government’s ability to provide such reports, the only conclusion to be drawn is that one of our greatest touristic attractions which draw in millions of visitors world wide and from which a good revenue is drawn is being mismanaged.
Perhaps, the best solution would be to ensure that some of that tourism-derived revenue is invested in proper resources which would pay to provide proper full-time keepers among other necessities, and to maintain these animals in proper condition to ensure that they pose no problems for our residents.”
In the meantime, the controversy continues and has captured the eye of the media worldwide.
Sky News, in their afternon programme today, highlighted the issue asking why a group of Gibraltar monkeys “are facing the firing squad”! Sky News, perhaps more forgivingly, are also covering the story online with pictures of the apes.
Throughout the week, there have been numerous reports online in the world’s media, including the UK’s Telegraph, USA Today, France’s Agence France Presse, the International Herald Tribune and many more.
There is even a Facebook group now launched, saying No to Ape Culling, though many of the views expressed here, mostly by locals, sound more like people are supporting the Government’s culling action, in the face of undoubted disturbances caused by this pack, to the local community.
For ourselves… we very much hope the Government takes the ever excellent and humane advice from their appointed managers GONHS… and also heeds the constructive suggestions offered by the PDP today, which largely reflect, I believe, the vast majority of public opinion, not just in Gibraltar… but also worldwide!
Related Articles and Links:
Tell us what you think - Comment and/or Vote on this news report in our Forum - Are you in favour of culling our Barbary Macaques?
Sign the Petition: GoPetitions > Stop the culling of Macaques in Gibraltar
Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS )
GONHS > Barbary Macaques > Article: The world famous Rock of Gibraltar is home to a unique population of Barbary macaques
International Primate Protection League UK
BBC - Science & Nature - Wildfacts - Barbary ape, Barbary macaque
Gibraltar Barbary Macaques - Information from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Progressive Democratic Party
25 September 2006 - Ape shooting: 71 year old Catalan Bay resident arrested
21 August 2006 - Oldest Rock Ape found shot dead
30 August 2006 - Barbary ape gives tourist a ‘hair raising’ moment
23 August 2006 - Apes: Attraction or public nuisance?
19 August 2006 - RGP warn public of penalties for feeding Rock Apes
27 March 2006 - GONHS comment on Ape Injuries statistics
24 February 2006 - Ape bite warning in UK newspaper
Read more Articles and News reports about GONHS (The Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society)
Investigating further, to their amazement, they learned that the owner of the car was none other than GSD MP Yvette Del Agua, currently the Minister for Health and Civil Protection in the Gibraltar Government.
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