The wild Barbary macaques arrived at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling. This has been done following a deal with the Gibraltar government to decrease the territory's population of primates.

According to ministers, exporting the macaques was chosen to culling the animals, whose increase in number has been creating problems for local residents.

The Barbary macaques, aged between six months and 20, were flown to Gatwick before finishing their journey north by land.

According to animal collection manager Sheila Walker, it has consumed over a year of planning and organizing the transfer of these macaques and they cannot believe that it's finally taking place.

Walker also said that they all are very excited about having a new species in the park and it is another display for our visitors to see. Yesterday, the macaques arrived at the safari park at around 7.15 am.

Craig Holmes, head of the macaque section at the safari park, said that it seemed that they have settled in well.

According to the safari park, the £32,000 transporting cost was provided by the Gibraltar government. Visitors will be able to see the macaques in a new drive-through section of the park from March.
They have a new home with a "luxury" heated house and a 2.5-acre (1 hectare) enclosure with a swimming pool and trees to climb.

The transfer of the macaques was the first large-scale export since 1990, said John Cortes, Gibraltar Environment Minister.

"They were just working their way down, they were causing problems for local people, making mess in their gardens, ripping open their bags to get to food. So they're reducing numbers to try and slowly move them out of the town and encourage them back up on to Gibraltar rock", said Craig Holmes.