Destination Europe: Monkey Business

Each year, hundreds of millions of songbirds such as thrushes, robins and linnet, are killed - often while migrating - all around the Mediterranean, especially in countries such as Portugal, France, Italy, Malta and Cyprus. Some birds have become locally extinct. They are trapped using almost invisible hair nooses, or on branches smeared with glue. They are then eaten in a variety of ways - roasted, as kebabs, or even pickled. As this practice is illegal in many countries, the birds may be sold as 'quail'.

In Spain, monkeys such as squirrel monkeys and Barbary apes may be used as photographers’ ‘props’, with tourists paying to have their picture taken with the cute animal – especially in big beach resorts such as Benidorm. It is possible that baby chimps may also be used, despite this practice recently being made illegal. Greece, Israel and Turkey are other destinations where beach monkeys may be found.

Such primates are often wild-caught orphans of the illegal bushmeat and/or pet trade, in which case they have usually watched their mothers being slaughtered and so may be highly traumatised. These highly intelligent animals may also be drugged to keep them calm during the long, hot hours of work. Once they reach adolescence, they are usually too aggressive to work and may be chained and abandoned.

Paying to have your picture taken with these animals does nothing but encourage more poaching and misery.