Friday, April 18, 2008

The Apes of Gibraltar

Gibraltar, the rock that stands guard over the entrance to the Med off the southern tip of Spain, has long had Barbary Apes roaming the mountain, or "high ground."

Gibraltar is a British colony.

Fifty years ago, while part of a group on a U.S. Navy training mission, I spent a night in the Azores. Shortly after we arrived, a United States Air Force plane landed. Its cargo consisted of apes which were tended to by U.S. Air Force "stewards."

We were told this was a "hush-hush" mission; that the United States was supplying apes for the British colony of Gibraltar because the apes on Gibraltar were dying off. So, why didn't the British get their own apes?

Well, the Spanish think Gibraltar should be part of their country. They don't like the fact that Gibraltar is a British colony. And there is an old legend which claims that when the apes of Gibraltar are gone, the British will leave.

The British did not want anyone to think they took the legend seriously by flying in apes to replace ones that had died, so the U.S. Air Force came to the rescue! We kept Gibraltar supplied with apes.

I had the privilege of spending a day on Gibraltar. While I did not get up to the "high ground" to see the apes, some of my friends did. They reported the apes acted quite friendly, but also had a tendency to grab food or purses from the unaware who got too close.


Now it seems "A renegade group of Gibraltar's Barbary apes has annoyed residents so much that" authorities plan to kill them. A few months ago, a "cluster" of these apes took up residence in a "beach-side area ... where they have been stealing food, entering rooms through open windows and harassing tourists..."

Ernest Britto, the territory's tourism manager, was the one who decided to kill this band of looters. "It is a last resort," said Britto, as he thinks they pose a danger to the public health. According to the Gibraltar Chronicle, two of the apes have already been caught and given lethal injections.


I don't care about Britain's colonial aims, but why kill these animals? Is there not a way of returning them to their original homes in Africa, or Morocco, or north Algeria? Maybe they could be placed in zoos around the world?

Actually, the best place for their relocation might be Florida's Disneyworld. Then the monkeys who inhabit our state legislature could drive down to Orlando and see what happened to their cousins when they harassed and stole from the people.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Killing something rather than moving them apparently is ok in their belief system. It is hard to imagine that more humane than killing them. It seems to apply to people that annoy us too. I wonder what Jesus would say.
bob Poris

Cybernest said...

Hi All

I'm afraid I can't let this post go unanswered.

Firstly Bob... the vast majority of Gibraltarians are Christian, who have lived in great harmony for centuries with a significant community of Jewish, Muslim and other assorted faiths... none of whom have a 'belief system' that believes in the unnecessary killing of animals... or indeed not least humans!

We are well aware what Jesus might say... but you can read for yourself what WE say about the proposed ape cull here:

http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/2008/04/18/worldwide-uproar-about-planned-cull-of-gibraltars-barbary-macaques/

You will also please note that the decision to cull these animals has been made by our Government, without regard to public opinion or indeed without consultation with experts, who have for the last few years now, been advising and counselling many alternatives that are necessary in controlling this somewhat riotous pack of Barbary Macaques. Public opinion is largely against the action proposed and we are doing what we can in our democratic society to get the decision revoked.

So please Bob... spare us your sanctimonious pronouncements and be assured that, unlike in your country... we don't encourage anyone to go around taking life willy nilly, not in our country.. or anywhere else in the big wide world!

Jacob... a small note for you.

Firstly we refer to the areas the barbary macaques inhabit as the Upper Rock. I've never heard the term 'High Ground' used... ever.

Ernest Britto is NOT the Tourism Manager. He is THE elected Government Minister for the Environment and also has the portfolio of Minister for Tourism... and sounds like he may have much in common with his counterparts in your Orlando legislature!

As for your tale about the US saving our Barbary Macaques 50 years ago... that's as much a load of rubbish... as was the film a couple of years ago that pretended that it was a US submarine that took the Gernman 'enigma' encoding machine off a U-Boat during WWII... or that it was John Wayne that saved Europe and the world from the Nazi hordes... or beat your native americans into submission!

I am reminded of a joke posted recently in our forum:

A Scottish farmer was in his field digging up his potatoes. An American tourist passing by who also happened to be a farmer looked over the fence and said
"In Texas we grow potatoes 5 times larger than that!"

The Scotsman replied "Ah but we just grow them for our own mouths son!"

Rather says it all... don't you think??

Having had my say, I thank you for your interest in Gibraltar and for highlighting the plight of our Barbary Macaques, who I very much hope shall be able to avoid their untimely proposed fate... and be able to live out their lives in their homeland and mine to a ripe old age in a better managed environment.

Saludos! :D

Cybernest
Webmaster
Gibraltar News Online:
http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com

=========================

Gibraltar News Online Forums:
http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/forums

=============================

Lowell said...

Dear Cybernest...I wrote a lengthy reply to you but lost the damn Internet connection and thus the reply.

Here's a brief version: Thanks very much for writing. You clarified a number of important points. I'm sorry if I inferred that the people of Gibraltar were involved in the culling of the apes...obviously that is not the case.

With regard to the U.S. replenishing the apes. We were told that story on Gibraltar when a U.S. Air Force plane arrived.

I guess it is possible that someone was pulling out legs...but I've believed it for 50 years! Sheesh. Another anomaly, too, is that we were told the plane was bringing the apes from South America and that couldn't be the case.

Thanks for straightening that out, too.

When I was in Gibraltar in 1957, I bought my fiance a beautiful yellow cashmere sweater set - I believe it cost $28. The people of Gibraltar were wonderful to us - young, U.S. sailors!

Thanks again for writing...and best wishes to you!

Jacob

Lowell said...

Cybernest: A correction...we were told the story of the planeload of apes when we were in the Azores.

Cybernest said...

Hi Jacob

Many thanks for your kind words. It's so annoying when we write a long message and a hi tech hiccup gobbles our effort up! heh heh

I'm ex-Royal Navy myself... so I know a little about how 'tall stories' get churned around in the services and I'm afraid this is one of those ocassions... when the rumour mill worked overtime. Good story though! :) A little bit of research on the net will confirm that our apes... all of them... originate from a pack that still exists in Morocco... albeit with problems themselves. As for the replenishing of the pack due to diminishing numbers, that is true, but it was organised during the WWII by none other than Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill got wind of the low numbers and being conscious of the legend that says when the apes disappear from Gibraltar so will the British, he arranged reinforcements from the original pack... sending a signal to Spain's Franco in the process! :)

I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Gibraltar all those years ago and those cashmere sweaters are still sold in Gib at a decent price... you want to re-visit and buy your present 'squeeze' another one! ;)

Gibraltar has for many years been pleased to welcome the US Navy and Marines and continues that long and happy tradition today always with open arms and warmth. They are a credit to America. I have personally enjoyed many a beer and a good night with fellow US navy shipmates, both in Gibraltar and elsewhere around the world, especially whilst serving in the Far East, during a difficult time for yout boys in the latter days of the Vietnam War. I wish you and them all the best and hope your boys, like ours, keep safe in present conflicts overseas.

Best wishes!

Cybernest
Webmaster
Gibraltar News Online:
http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com

=========================

opinions powered by SendLove.to