The West Lothian Courier has teamed up with Blair Drummond Safari Park to offer readers the chance to win a family pass for two adults and two children each week - and learn a bit more about their residents at the same time.
Park communications and conservation manager Jamie-Leigh Green said: “Since arriving in the park in 2014, our barbary macaques have become some of our best-loved residents.
“The troop who arrived were moved to Scotland from Gibraltar in a bid to reduce the disruption the animals were causing to local residents.
“Although, they can still be quite mischievous, we have plenty of room for all sorts of shenanigans in our lovely free-roaming macaque habitat.
“Barbary macaques are the only species of macaque to have populations living outside of Asia, and the macaques of Gibraltar are the only wild population of monkey in Europe. Although, there is a small introduced population living in Gibraltar, Barbary macaques are actually native to the Atlas Mountains of Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco.
“Barbary macaques are monkeys, although sometimes they are confused for apes because it looks like they don’t have a tail. In fact, they have what is known as a ‘vestigial tail’.
“This means that, as the macaque has adapted over the centuries, its tail has gradually lost most of its functional use and has almost disappeared. Almost all monkeys have tails, while apes do not – hence the confusion!
“Barbary macaques are a highly social species and rely heavily on their hierarchical structure.
“Macaques can live in groups of 10 to 100 individuals and it is usually a dominant female who oversees the group. There are also usually second and third in line members within this structure.
“You will often see our macaques grooming each other as you drive through the reserve.
“This behaviour is not only beneficial in ensuring that the troop remains pest free, but also reduces stress and strengthens bonds within the group.”
For a chance to win a family pass, which can be used any one day until the end of this opening season, just answer the following question:
Where did the park’s macaque troop come from?
Email your answer, using the tagline WLC Safari,to [email protected]. Deadline is Tuesday at 4pm. Blair Drummond Safari Park is open seven days a week until December 23. Tickets can be bought online at blairdrummond.com.
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