Petition: Stop Abuse Of Endangered Primates For Tourist Entertainment.

These endangered primates are being captured from the wild and forced to endure heartbreaking cruelty for the sake of the tourism industry. Add your name if you want to end this abuse once and for all!

"Wild animals are increasingly exploited for entertainment and photo opportunities," reported Science Daily.

They went on to say: "Barbary macaques, the only primate species endemic to Morocco and Algeria, have been categorized as 'endangered to extinction' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2008. It is prohibited to sell or keep them as pets.

"Despite the restrictions, Barbary macaques are used as photo props for tourists, principally in Marrakesh's famous Jemaa el-Fna square, and reportedly in other major Moroccan cities, and Algeria.

"An infant macaque might act as a photo prop 18 times per hour, costing visitors as much as 100 Dirhams (~£20). This practice could earn their handlers the equivalent of an average monthly Moroccan household income in just 3-4 working days."

Researcher Kristina Stazaker said: "Barbary macaque numbers have plummeted by more than 50% since the 1980s, due to habitat loss and juveniles being sold illegally as pets."

Meanwhile, these helpless creatures are often subjected to torture by their handlers.

Many are kept in tiny cages for long periods of time, often in extreme temperatures in the North African sun, and are only released long enough to pose for pictures with tourists.

Morocco, the principal country where this exploitation takes place, is one of the few nations in the world that still has a monarch.

That's why we're calling on King Mohammed VI of Morocco to do the right thing and end this absurd cruelty to endangered macaques in his realm, once and for all.

Don't you want to protect the few remaining wild Barbary macaques left in the world from being captured and sold into the pet trade, or a wretched fate in the markets of Marrakesh, where they will be abused as tourist photo props?

Then add your name to ask King Mohammed VI of Morocco to levy severe punishment against the cruel people who exploit these endangered macaques for the tourism industry!