Barbary ape is the only wild monkey found in Europe. A small population of these monkeys lives on the Rock of Gibraltar, which is at the southern tip of Spain. Most Barbary apes left in the wild inhabit remote areas of Morocco in Africa. 
The Barbary ape is not really an ape. It is related to the rhesus monkey of India and is more properly called the Barbary macaque (see Macaque). It was originally thought to be an ape because it lacks a tail.
The British government protects the Barbary apes living on Gibraltar. A legend says that the monkeys once warned the British of a surprise attack on Gibraltar by Spain. According to tradition, the British will never lose control of the Rock of Gibraltar as long as the apes live there. However, most populations of wild Barbary apes have become threatened, largely due to the destruction of their forest habitats.
