International Research Journal of Public and Environmental Health Vol.7 (5),pp. 173-178, October 2020 Available online at https://www.journalissues.org/IRJPEH/ https://doi.org/10.15739/irjpeh.20.024 Copyright © 2020 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article ISSN 2360-8803

Original Research Article

Contribution to the study of the endemic species Macaca Sylvanus Linnaeus, 1758 from the Occidental (North- West of )

Received 23 June, 2020 Revised 18 August, 2020 Accepted 29 August, 2020 Published 23 October, 2020

Nawal Hichami*1,2 The Western Rif Terrestrial Population has been assessed for its and current status. The species currently hosting the Western Rif are 37 species. Surveys of the region concerning the limestone ridge from Oued Laou to Jbel Safaa Bendami1,2 Moussa, as well as the Bou Hachem massif, have enabled us to validate the 1Laboratory of Water, presence of 22 species. One species has been the subject of a detailed study, Biodiversity and Climate Change, with regards to the state of its population, its and its Department of Biology, Faculty of distribution in the study area. It is mainly the endemic species Macaca Sciences, Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad Sylvanus Linnaeus, 1758. This species has a relict distribution in Morocco University, Marrakech, P.O. and . The Moroccan populations populate the mountains of the Rif Box2390, 40000, Morocco. Centro-Occidental, those of the and the . Some 2The Natural History Museum of recommendations relating to the measures proposed for its conservation Marrakech, Cadi Ayyad and management are made. University, Marrakech, Morocco. Keywords: Western rif, distribution, morocco, conservation, macaca sylvanus, * Corresponding Author E-mail: vulnerability. [email protected]

INTRODUCTION

Morocco is the only African country to have a double However, this diversity is in threat with regression due to maritime facade that opens onto both the Mediterranean the destruction of habitat, pollution and climate change and the Atlantic Ocean with no less than 3,446 km of (Aulagnier et al., 2015). coastline. Its particular geographic position, its great are valuable biological indicators for climatic and geological variety make the country a fairly understanding the ecological status of ecosystems and for varied bioclimatic area, ranging from the per-humid to the proposing sustainable management methods. Their specific Saharan, favoring a great diversity of ecosystems and diversity is an indicator of the ecological status and natural environments, both terrestrial and aquatic. This is biodiversity of ecosystems (Lamarque et al., 2011). what makes the country populated by an exceptional fauna Despite their importance, mammals are among the and flora biodiversity in terms of wealth and endemism groups that have suffered too much from action and (Znari and Hichami, 2018). On the scale of the during the past decades no less than six terrestrial mammal , Morocco is recognized as one of the species are extinct (the lion Panthera leo, the serval Serval richest regions in the world (hotspots) in terms of constantina, the gazelle Gazella leptoceros, the oryx Oryx and plant diversity (Myers et al., 2000). Moroccan damnah, the addax Addax nasomaculates and the hartebeest biodiversity occupies second place after that of the Busolophus busolophus) and at least 20 species are Anatolian region (Turkey), with an overall endemism rate threatened with extinction, among which 3 species are on of more than 20%. the verge of extinction (Panthera pardus, Acinonnyx jubatus, Int. Res. J. Pub. Environ. Health 174

Figure 1. Location of the prospected sites, in the Western Rif

Alcelaphus buselaphus and Gazella dama) (Aulagnier et al., sources on the one hand- an exhaustive review of 2015). bibliographical citations and field surveys and on the other Barbary is one of the endemic mammals in hand, surveys of around 40 people- in particular agents of morocco that also one of the most threatened species. Water and Forests, hunters or any other person from the According to Water et al. (2007), the Barbary macaque local population who holds good knowledge of the region in population in Morocco is estimated to an average of 5000- terms of fauna biodiversity and its distribution and which 6000 individuals. Which about 75% occurred on the Middle have direct contact with mammals could be achieved. The Atlas has suffered a strong decline in the last decades database contains 167 observations, including 58 localized (Camperio Ciani et al., 2005; Van Lavieren and Wich, 2010; (i.e with geographic coordinates), more than 40 that we Ménard et al.,2013). have collected from the local population and 69 In order to contribute to the building knowledge of the observations drawn from bibliographies. mammals of the Moroccan Rif area in general and of its The capture and research of in the field during western part in particular, a study relating to the most surveys in the different representative units of the study emblematic sites of the central-western Rif was carried out. environment requires different methods, these methods are These data will constitute a fundamental basis for defining direct or indirect. priorities for action and management of mammalian biodiversity in a region of high biological potential, such as Direct methods the area of the West Rif. For the research and the meeting of the animals, it is necessary to give more importance to the places of concentration of the animals, in this case, the places of MATERIALS AND METHODS winning, the quiet places little frequented by the man or those with difficult access. This method mainly concerns Location of prospecting sites macro mammals and, to a lesser extent, micromammals. Animals that are difficult to observe by having a nocturnal Our study was conducted in the North West region of activity or else they are rare or lead a life hidden in the Morocco in 2014. The study area is spread from Oued Laou vegetation or deep in the burrows are diagnosed by to Jbel Moussa. Our surveys mainly concerned the methods which are suitable for them. protected areas of the Western Rif: SIBE Jbel Moussa, SIBE The used methods consist of: Jbel Bouhachem, SIBE Ben Kerrich, Lagune Smir and Jbel  Direct Animal observation: in this case, especially Kelti (Figure 1). These 5 sites are part of the the large mammal species, such as wild boar, otter, jackal, Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean fox, hare, and rabbit, etc. (RBIM).  Listening to the cries of animals at dusk, and during the early hours of the night.  The trapping of animals is a method that requires a METHODOLOGY good knowledge of the places most frequented by the animal, to know its biotope and this by on-site monitoring The data underlying this work were collected from several via these various processes. This technique makes it Hichami and Bendami 175

possible to carry out markings with a certainty of the populations sizes of 122 and 84 individuals in the High species considered. Ourika valley, in the western High Atlas of Morocco. Our field surveys supported by local testimonies enabled Indirect methods us to validate the presence of the Barbary macaque in several localities of the Western Rif. The results of these Indirect methods allow you to find and record all traces and surveys are shown in Table 1 and Figure 2. These data were signs of presence indicating the existence of the animal, collected according to local accounts from resource people such as: who have direct contact with this in their daily  The presence of trails, burrows, food remains, lives. droppings The range of this primate is constantly shrinking. It is  The presence of corpses. important to emphasize that at Jbel Belwazène (Haut Smir),  The presence of body parts like; bones, hair, teeth, the total disappearance of the species was noted (Figure 2). claws, etc. Indeed, according to Sehhar (2006), a small colony was maintained until 2010, where we still observed the presence of two individuals, which would probably have RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS disappeared because they were never seen again in 2011.

Presentation of the Macaca Sylvanus Linnaeus, 1758: Conservation considerations

The Barbary macaque (Macaca Sylvanus) is a primate of the The habitat of the species is mainly represented by forest Cercopithecidae family, endemic to the Maghreb. The stands and steep environments where it shelters, feeds and species are known as the Barbary Macaque. It is one of the reproduces. In recent years, the population of the Barbary rare monkeys to live in environments where winter is macaque has been represented by increasingly isolated marked by very harsh conditions. It lives mainly in forest colonies, since the habitat suitable for the species has and rough terrain. In this very sociable species, without a greatly deteriorated under pressure from anthropogenic well-defined hierarchy, males have the particularity of actions. taking care of the young at length. Overgrazing leads to a severe decrease in biomass and diversity (Ménard et al. 1999). The cuts made by the local Protection status population for animal feed and fuelwood supply, in addition to legal cuts, are the main causes of degradation of holm The Barbary macaque is listed on Annex II of the oak. Most of these formations are generally transformed Convention on International Trade in into the coppice, unusable by loot, both in terms of shelter of Flora and Fauna (CITES) and considered, since 2008, as and in terms of food resources (acorns, whose production is “endangered” according to the red list endangered species reduced, are then accessible to herds). of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Finally, the permanent disturbance by the physical (IUCN) (Butynski et al., 2008) presence of man (especially the shepherds) exposes the nest egg to real disturbances of its populations. Biogeographical distribution In areas where groups of monkeys are found around cropland, or more particularly fruit plantations, animals are In the Maghreb, the Barbary macaque is known only in systematically removed by farmers, and sometimes even Morocco and Algeria. The Barbary macaque Macaca shot with a gun (Cuzin, 2003). sylvanusis the only non-human primate in Africa north of by stray , which carry out coordinated the Sahara desert (Fooden, 2007). The Moroccan attacks in packs (Sian Waters, com. Per.)are also a menace. populations populate the mountains of the Rif Centro- Dogs are one of the vectors of the disease; hence a Occidental, those of the Middle Atlas and the High Atlas vaccination program was carried out by the association (Sehhar, 2006). The hoard was eliminated from by "Barbary Macaque Conservation in the Rif". This protection the glaciations (Cuzin, 2003). It exists in where it project aims to halt the decline of the Barbary macaque in was normally introduced. northern Morocco by collecting scientific data, raising The species mainly colonizes the high mountains, it awareness among local populations and working with local exploits altitudes ranging from sea level to 2,600 meters and national stakeholders ( Cuzin, 2003). The objective is to (Taub, 1984; Mehlman, 1986; Cuzin, 2003) where develop a long-term management plan to safeguard the temperatures can reach 45 ° C in summer and - 10 ° C species, its habitats, but also the livelihoods of local during the coldest months of winter (Mehlman, 1986). It populations (Sian Waters, com. Per.). can also be found almost at sea level, in a more temperate climate, such as at Jbel Moussa in the Western Rif. El Alami Recommendations for the Barbary macaque et al. (2013) reported a total of 35 groups were sighted and conservation 644 individuals counted from Central High of Morocco while Namous et al. (2017) estimated two Scientific research is the most credible means for the study Int. Res. J. Pub. Environ. Health 176

Table 1. Main localities of the Barbary macaque in the Western Rif.

Station name Site name Number of groups Number of individuals Jbel Moussa Jbel Snissel 1 60 Lghar Lakhal 1 50 Falaises de Toura et Jbel Jouimaa 2 30 Jbel Lhama Jbel Lhama 1 30 Jbel Bouzaytoune Jbel Bouzaitoune 1 30-40 Jbel Béni Hassan Lakrar 1 50-60 Taghzout 1 50-60 Jbel Kelti Tamaloute 1 50 Miyet 1 50-60 Oued Lmatlaa 1 50-60 Jbel Alaayanine 1 30-40 Jbel Lkraa 1 50 Jbel Kayet 1 60 Jbel Bouhachem Ramla 1 Bouhachem 6 Jbel Alam 1 Adayogh 1 Oued Benblal 1 600-800 Maaza 1 Slalem 3 Taliamin 1 Oued Assalam 1 Tghlimant 2 Taynza 3

Figure 2: Distribution of Macaca Sylvanus in the Western Rif.

of Mammals involving several aspects: population  Organizing workshops for the benefit of students dynamics, genetic studies, diet, reproduction, habitat, from rural schools to show them the importance of conservation, etc. biodiversity and its conservation. Environmental education must be a means of supporting  Organizing awareness campaigns on the benefits of public policies to develop better ecological awareness and shepherds and trainers on the need to preserve better respect for the environment. As actions we propose: monkey populations and their natural habitats. Hichami and Bendami 177

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