Which primate is the mascot of Gibraltar's famous wild monkey population?

Which primate is the mascot of Gibraltar’s famous wild monkey population? The Barbary macaque. These tailless Old World monkeys are the animals associated with Gibraltar’s celebrated free-ranging population.

Gibraltar’s macaques are not native to the Rock; their original range is in Morocco’s Atlas and Rif mountains, along with parts of Algeria. The Gibraltar population lives mainly around the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and is notable as the only wild monkey population in Europe. They are often called “Barbary apes” or “rock apes,” but those names are misleading: they are monkeys, not apes.

The species’ scientific name is Macaca sylvanus. Its lack of a visible tail helps distinguish it from many other macaques and likely contributed to the local “ape” nickname. Visitors are warned not to feed or approach them, because habituation can produce aggressive behavior and harm both animals and people.