The Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus is a very adaptable primate species occupying a wide range of habitats in Morocco and Algeria. Several groups of this endangered macaque can be found in tourist sites, where they are affected by the presence of visitors providing food to them. We compare the activity budgets and the diet of semiprovisioned and wild-feeding groups of Barbary macaques in the central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco from February to August 2008. We used instantaneous scan sampling at 15-min intervals. The behaviors included in the activity budget were feeding, moving, foraging, resting, and aggressive display. Food items were grouped into seven categories. We found no differences between the two groups in the daily percentages of records attributed to feeding. The semiprovisioned group spent significantly more time engaged in resting and aggressive behavior, and foraged and moved significantly less than the wild-feeding group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in time spent eating leaves, fruits, or roots and bark. The semiprovisioned group, however, spent significantly less time per day feeding on herbs, seeds, and acorns than the wild-feeding group. Human food accounted for 26% of the daily feeding records for the semiprovisioned group and 1% for the wild-feeding group. Our findings agree with previous studies and indicate that in the tourist site, where food is highly clumped, macaques decreased foraging time yet showed higher levels of contest competition. Our results support the common claim that the diet of the Barbary macaque is highly flexible, differing among its varied habitats. Conservation efforts for the Barbary macaques should take into account the changes in behavior that human-modified environments may cause.

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The Barbary macaque Macaca sylvanus is the only macaque in Africa. The species is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed in CITES Appendix II. This macaque has a relict distribution in Morocco and Algeria. Recent studies have indicated a dramatic decline of Barbary macaque populations in the Middle Atlas and Rif Mountains in Morocco but there is limited available information on its distribution in the Central High Atlas. We therefore conducted interviews with local officials and inhabitants, and carried out field surveys in 12 sites from February 2004 to December 2008. We found Barbary macaques in relatively small and fragmented habitats in 10 of the 12 sites. A total of 35 groups were sighted and 644 individuals counted. Mean group size was 21 (range 6–42). In all surveyed sites habitat destruction and pressure from livestock were apparent. The interviews indicated that the macaques are often found in the proximity of agricultural land, and that there is evidence of illegal capture in the Bas Oued El Abid and Haut Oued El Abid areas. To protect this species we recommend establishment of protected areas specifically for the Barbary macaque, increased surveillance by forest guards, enforcement of the law against capture of the species, and education of the local people.

This article reports data on the distribution of the Cuvier’s gazelle in the mountains of Ait Tamlil and Anghomar, Central High Atlas. In this study, a combination of standardized interviews combined with a field survey to gather information about gazelles in the region was used. Results confirm the presence of the Cuvier’s gazelle in the high summits of the region limited by the villages of Tikhfist, Megdaz and the lake of Tamda n’Anghomar. The species is threatened by overhunting and habitat destruction. The conservation of Gazella cuvieri is required to increase habitat protection, to enforce the law against capturing gazelles and to raise the awareness of local people about the conservation of this mammal.

This article reports data on the seasonal activity budget and diet composition of the endangered Barbary macaque group inhabiting a tourist site in Morocco. Data were collected from March 2007 to February 2008. We used instantaneous scan sampling at 15-min intervals. The behaviours that we included in the activity budget were feeding, moving, foraging, resting and aggressive display. Food items were grouped into seven categories. Results showed that activity budgets and the feeding time spent on eating different food categories varied markedly among seasons. The percentage of daily time spent on foraging and moving was lower in spring, while the daily time spent on resting was higher in spring and summer. The time budget devoted to aggressive display was higher in spring than the other three seasons. There is an increase in the daily feeding time spent eating fruits in summer; seeds, acorns, roots and barks in winter and autumn; herbs in spring and summer; and a clear increase in consumption of human food in spring. Conservation effort of Barbary macaques should consider the seasonal variations in activity budgets and diet in human-modifi ed environments.