The 30 most troublesome and wild Barbary macaques will be taken to Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling in central Scotland.

The macaques, Europe's only wild population of monkeys, are a popular tourist attraction. They were introduced to Gibraltar from Africa in the 18th century by British soldiers.

However, their numbers have risen and some have started roaming into town, looting apartments and bins for food, terrorizing locals and tourists.

Their numbers have risen to around 200, with most living up on the Rock of Gibraltar. The officials identified the 30 worst offenders by tagging the animals with GPS collars to monitor how far they ranged in search of food and if they ventured into built-up areas.

The monkeys were then trapped over a three-week period in August and September and will be flown to Scotland on Tuesday on a chartered cargo plane accompanied by two experienced keepers.

John Cortes, Gibraltar's Environment Minister, said, "It is sad to see them go, but they will be going to an excellent home and it is so much better than culling them. We don't consider them exiled. We consider them as ambassadors".

The 30 monkeys, which include 11 males and 19 females, have spent the past few weeks in quarantine in a purpose-built holding area tucked away in a quiet corner of Gibraltar's nature reserve.

Although tourists often want to interact with them, officials say the Barbary macaques are wild animals and are best viewed from a distance.

The staff has prepared a large enclosure for them including trees and a large rocky mound for climbing in Blair Drummond Safari Park.

Eric Shaw, the head of Gibraltar's monkey management team, said that regardless of the colder temperatures in Scotland than in Gibraltar, Barbary macaques are highly adaptable and often live at high altitudes in their natural environment in North Africa.