Macaca sylvanus ( Barbary macaque) inhabits Morocco, Algeria, and Gibraltar. The majority of them are found in the Middle and High Atlas mountains and in the Rif mountain regions of Morocco.
A smaller population is located in the Tellian Atlas mountains of Algeria. Within the Atlas mountains, Macaca sylvanus is restricted to the Grand Kabylie mountains, the Petit Kabylie mountains, and the Chiffa Gorges.
The Algerie Post has issued the First Day Cover along with the released of WWF stamp on September 15, 1988 which features Barbary macaques on four single stamps.
Barbary macaques prefer habitats consisting of high altitude mountains, cliffs, and gorges. Although they prefer high altitude habitats, up to 2600 m, they can also be found at sea level.
Their primary habitat is cedar forests, but they are also found in mixed forests of cedar and holm-cork oak, pure oak forests, shrubby rock outcrops along coasts, and occasionally in grasslands at low elevations. During the winter they are highly arboreal, but become more terrestrial during summer.
Barbary macaques are covered in thick fur that presumably helps protect them from cold temperatures.
Body color ranges from yellowish-gray to darker grayish-brown.
Their chests and stomachs are much lighter than the rest of their bodies while their faces are often dark pink. Barbary macaques have noticeably short tails, ranging from 1 to 2 cm long.
Females average 450 mm from head to tail, weigh about 11 kg, and display estrus with large anogenital swellings. Males are larger, weighing 16 kg and range in length from 550 to 600 mm. Barbary macaques typically reach sexual maturity around 46 months of age, regardless of gender.
Barbary macaques are polygynandrous, as males and females have multiple mates. Females display estrus with large anogenital swellings. Females initiate and terminate mating and compete with each other for mates by interrupting copulation.
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