Barbary Macaques of Morocco

Meet Morocco's Only Wild Monkey

The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) holds a special place in the natural world as the only macaque species living outside Asia and the only wild primate in Europe and North Africa. In Morocco it is an emblem of the Middle Atlas, where troops move through ancient cedar forests in search of food.

Unlike many monkeys, Barbary macaques have only a stub of a tail, giving them a distinctive rounded silhouette. Their thick fawn-colored coats help them survive surprisingly cold, snowy winters at altitude, a reminder that not all monkeys live in tropical jungles.

Where to See Them

The most reliable place to encounter wild macaques is the cedar forest near Azrou, particularly around the famous Cedre Gouraud area. Troops here are habituated to people and can often be seen within minutes of arriving.

The nearby resort town of Ifrane, sometimes called 'little Switzerland,' and the broader Ifrane National Park offer further opportunities in beautiful alpine-style scenery. Other populations survive in the High Atlas and the Rif Mountains, but these are shyer and harder to find.

Behavior and Social Life

Barbary macaques live in complex troops that can number from a dozen to over fifty individuals. Their societies revolve around strong female lineages, while males are unusual among primates for the care and attention they lavish on infants, even those that are not their own.

Watch quietly and you may see grooming sessions, playful juveniles wrestling, and the constant low chatter that binds the group together. Their diet shifts with the seasons, ranging from cedar seeds, acorns, and leaves to insects, fruit, and fungi.

An Endangered Species

Despite their visibility to tourists, Barbary macaques are classified as endangered. The Moroccan and Algerian populations have declined sharply over recent decades due to habitat loss, drought stressing the cedar forests, and the illegal capture of infants for the exotic pet trade.

Thousands of young macaques have been smuggled out of North Africa over the years, devastating wild troops. Conservationists now work to protect the cedar woodlands, monitor populations, and crack down on trafficking, but the species remains under serious pressure.

Why You Should Never Feed Them

It is tempting to share snacks with curious macaques, and many roadside troops have learned to beg from passing cars. But feeding is one of the worst things a visitor can do. Human food damages their health, makes them dependent on roadsides where they risk being hit by vehicles, and increases aggressive behavior toward people.

Fed macaques can lose the foraging skills that keep wild troops healthy. The kindest action is to admire them from a respectful distance, keep food out of sight, and let them live as wild animals.

Photographing Macaques Ethically

Macaques make wonderful photographic subjects, but good ethics produce better images anyway. Use a zoom lens rather than crowding the animals, and avoid flash, which can startle them and disturb infants.

Stay calm, avoid direct staring, which monkeys read as a threat, and never try to touch or pose with them. Early morning and late afternoon light filtering through the cedars creates the most atmospheric photographs, and patient observers are often rewarded with intimate family moments.

Planning Your Visit

Azrou and Ifrane sit roughly an hour south of Fez, making the macaque forests an easy day trip or a stop on a longer Middle Atlas itinerary. Local guides can be hired in Azrou and help locate troops while sharing knowledge about the forest.

Bring warm layers in winter, when snow can blanket the region, and sturdy footwear for forest walks year-round. Combining a macaque visit with the lakes, waterfalls, and Berber villages of the Middle Atlas makes for a rewarding nature-focused day.

Barbary macaque viewing essentials

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