Emblematic animals of North Africa: the Atlas lion and the Barbary macaque
North African animals, such as the Barbary macaque and the Atlas lion, were known to the Berbers and other peoples who lived in North Africa since ancient times. In this article, we will discover the role of these two animals in the history of North Africa.
Barbary macaque
The Barbary macaque, colloquially called Zaatout or Zazdadha, is a species of monkey native to the Atlas Mountains. Its name is a reference to Berberia (an Amazigh country), which is the old name given to North Africa by Europeans. Once present throughout North Africa, today it remains only in the Rif Mountains, the Middle Atlas, and the High Atlas in Morocco, and in the Kabylie Mountains in Algeria.
The Barbary macaque feeds mainly on plants and insects. Its morphology, which is adapted to the harsh winters of the mountainous regions in which it lives, makes it one of the rare macaques able to survive even in extremely cold temperatures. Males can live up to about 25 years and females up to about 30 years.
About 300 Barbary macaques also live on the Rock of Gibraltar, where they were imported by humans from North Africa. This is the only wild monkey group in Europe. They have been present in Gibraltar since before the British invaded in 1704, although other monkeys have been imported more recently, particularly during World War II. Very popular, it is the main tourist attraction in this area. Since ancient times, Barbary macaques have been hunted and sold as pets throughout the Mediterranean basin. The “monkeys” mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, brought by King Solomon’s ships from Tarshish, were probably Berber macaques. We even found a Barbary macaque skull… in Ireland, where it was definitely brought by Carthaginian traders! Gibraltar's first macaques were probably descended from animals imported by Moors, who escaped and found an ideal home on the rock.
Today, the Barbary macaque has become a victim of its own popularity: it is threatened with extinction, whether due to the destruction of its natural habitat or due to poaching for sale as a pet. It has completely disappeared in Tunisia and its numbers are declining in Algeria and Morocco.
Atlas lion
The last photo of a wild Atlas lion, taken in 1925, during the Casablanca-Dakar raid
The Atlas lion is a subspecies of lion that has lived for thousands of years throughout North Africa, from Egypt to Morocco. It has now disappeared into the wild. The last known wild lion in Morocco was shot in 1942, near the Tizi Tishka Pass. Another lion was seen in 1956 in the Beni Ortilane area near Setif, Algeria. It is possible that a few of these groups survived in isolated areas until the 1960s. Fewer than a hundred Atlas lions are still in captivity, mainly in the Rabat Zoo.
Did the Atlas lion really disappear? Several recent testimonies claim to have seen a lion in the wild in the Khenifra region of Morocco. Despite the National Water and Forest Agency's denial, suspicion still remains. And if it is true? It's definitely too early to tell. Anyway, This would not be the first time isolated individuals of a species considered extinct have suddenly appeared.
The Romans used atlas lions in their amphitheatres, to force them into combat against gladiators or to execute prisoners. Most of the lions, other wild animals, and bears used in circus games came from North Africa.
Another big cat from the Atlas Mountains, the Barbary leopard, is on the verge of extinction. A small number of individuals still live in the wild, in the border area between Morocco and Algeria. Furthermore, cheetahs were recently spotted in the Hoggar Mountains in Algeria, where this species has not been recorded before.
Despite their extinction, atlas lions still play an important role in the popular culture of North African countries. The Moroccan national football team, which performed outstandingly during the last World Cup finals in 2023, is nicknamed the “Atlas Lions”!
Source: websites