Barbary Macaque
Two Barbary macaques nuzzle a baby. The monkeys—the only macaques found outside Asia—are considered endangered because of habitat loss and the commercial trade. About 200 are taken from the wild each year in Morocco to supply pet markets. A proposal would ban their trade.
These 7 Obscure Animals May Get More Protection From Humans
The future of these little-known species may depend on decisions made in South Africa in a couple of weeks.
Ever heard of a Barbary macaque or turquoise dwarf gecko? How about a silky shark or Banggai cardinalfish? You might not recognize these names, but all of their numbers are dwindling at least in part because of the wildlife trade.
When it comes to trade of animals across borders, it’s usually elephants and rhinos that get the spotlight. It’s no secret that they’re in trouble. Some 27,000 elephants are slaughtered for their tusks every year, and more than a thousand rhinos were killed for their horns last year. Most horns and tusks end up in Asia where they’re viewed as status symbols and carved into objects.
But it’s not only iconic species that get sold from country to country.
Thousands of
