People, Primates, and Peace: A Case Study in Barbary Macaque Ethnoprimatology and Interdisciplinary Conservation in the Rif Mountains Of Morocc

The endangered Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) of North Africa, the only macaque outside of Asia and north of the Sahara, has experienced a continual decline in numbers over the course of several decades. Understanding perceptions of endangered species such as the Barbary macaque and attitudes towards conservation may be critical to conservation initiatives and their durability. Using an ethnoprimatological approach, I investigate perceptions of Barbary macaques as well as macaque conservation in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. In doing this, I observed and participated in the practices of Barbary Macaque Awareness and Conservation (BMAC), a Moroccan NGO whose sociocultural approach to macaque conservation seeks to aid both people and macaques. Additionally, I conducted semi-structured interviews (n=24) with urban and rural Moroccans exhibiting various degrees of contact with macaques and BMAC. Results indicate that macaques are commonly viewed as valuable endemic species and seen as important to local ecologies. There were significant differences in how urban and rural experiences shaped their perceptions of macaques. Despite some negative religious connotations, respondent attitudes were positive towards macaques and macaque conservation across all groups. BMAC's interdisciplinary research methods and socio-cultural approach to conservation, which is highly inclusive of local populations, may be a critical model to follow for future primate conservation endeavors.