17 november 2010
Disappointment!
As we mention on the MPC website, we had to cancel the building plans of the sanctuary. This was mainly due to problems with our future partner. We had already invested money and a lot of time and effort in this project and I even had a team of builders ready to go (one was already in the plane!!) when we heard about last minute problems that turned out to be problems forever.
As you can imagine I was very disappointed and to be honest this set back even made me doubt if I still want to continue this battle. I have been working on the conservation of the Barbary macaque for 7 years and i have provided (with other scientists) data to prove how bad the situation of the macaques is and even today, after all our efforts, we still don´t feel supported by the Moroccan government and even the EU countries that are involved in the trade. Can you believe this? In the meantime the Barbary macaque has been officially classified as `Endagered` and less and less macaques are in the forest but still nobody is doing ANYTHING about this.
Maybe when they are all gone the authorities will understand the impact of their lack of support and actions. But then it is too late.
As you can imagine I was very disappointed and to be honest this set back even made me doubt if I still want to continue this battle. I have been working on the conservation of the Barbary macaque for 7 years and i have provided (with other scientists) data to prove how bad the situation of the macaques is and even today, after all our efforts, we still don´t feel supported by the Moroccan government and even the EU countries that are involved in the trade. Can you believe this? In the meantime the Barbary macaque has been officially classified as `Endagered` and less and less macaques are in the forest but still nobody is doing ANYTHING about this.
Maybe when they are all gone the authorities will understand the impact of their lack of support and actions. But then it is too late.
Research and poaching
Research illegal wildlife trade in Rif mountains
MPC has recently conducted field research on the illegal trade in wildlife in the north of Morocco, a region that has never been surveyed before. We found some very interesting data, but most important is that the trade in macaques is much smaller than in the Middle Atlas. More news to follow. This survey was funded by Apenheul (Apenheul Primate Conservation Trust).
Poaching season started!!
MPC's informant contacted us last week telling us that the poaching has started in the cedar forest since 2 weeks and that at least 8 infants have already been captured. This is very disturbing news. We have contacted the local authorities and have asked them to take action against these poachers as soon as possible.
The reason why the poaching takes place now is that the infants are the right age now to capture and sell, and also because it's rammadan which means that there is less control in the national park.
MPC has recently conducted field research on the illegal trade in wildlife in the north of Morocco, a region that has never been surveyed before. We found some very interesting data, but most important is that the trade in macaques is much smaller than in the Middle Atlas. More news to follow. This survey was funded by Apenheul (Apenheul Primate Conservation Trust).
Poaching season started!!
MPC's informant contacted us last week telling us that the poaching has started in the cedar forest since 2 weeks and that at least 8 infants have already been captured. This is very disturbing news. We have contacted the local authorities and have asked them to take action against these poachers as soon as possible.
The reason why the poaching takes place now is that the infants are the right age now to capture and sell, and also because it's rammadan which means that there is less control in the national park.
