The illegal trade in Barbary macaques after the CITES-uplisting

• In Event: Legal and illegal wildlife crimes

Abstract

The illegal trade in Barbary macaques is not a new phenomenon. Barbary macaques have been victims of illegal trade for many years. Mainly young monkeys are targeted from Morocco and Algeria, fuelled by the exotic pet market in Europe. This has led to the species declining drastically in recent decades, with only 8,000 to 10,000 individuals left in the wild. Since the uplisting of the Barbary macaque to the highest protection level within CITES in 2017, the question arises whether the uplisting has actually had an influence on the protection of the Barbary macaque. For instance, what is the nature of poaching and trade in Barbary macaques after the uplifting, what changes have occurred within the criminal networks involved in Barbary macaques and what are the side effects of uplisting the Barbary Macaque? From a green criminological perspective, this presentation focusses on the current illegal poaching and trade of Barbary macaques and new dynamics and harms embedded in the illegal monkey business based on analyses of confiscation data, observations and interviews with respondents directly or indirectly involved.

Author

• Daan van Uhm, Utrecht University