IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Bergin, D.; Nijam, V. | |
| Open, unregulated trade in Wildlife in Morocco's Markets | |
| 2014 Traffic Bulletin (26): 65-70 | |
The Kingdom of Morocco, situated on the northwestern coast of the African continent, has a population of over 32 million people. It has a relatively well-developed tourism sector, in part due to stability the region has enjoyed compared to other North African countries and its close proximity to Europe. Morocco is classified as being within the Mediterranean Basin, an area with exceptional concentrations of endemic species undergoing rapid rates of habitat loss, and is therefore considered to be a hotspot for conservation priority (Myers et al., 2000). It has 29 endemic species (21 reptiles and eight mammals) (Franchimont and Saadaoui, 1998) and is home to the Barbary Macaque Macaca sylvanus, the only non-human African primate north of the Sahara. Morocco's proximity to Europe, coupled with its porous borders, makes it a potentially important wildlife trade hub (van Lavieren, 2008). The sale of wildlife in Morocco is illegal and yet large amounts of wild fauna and flora are available for sale. This article reports on the findings of wildlife surveys undertaken during 2013 in Morocco's major cities, located in the north-west of the country. |
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