Field Research - Patryk Kulikowski & Matt Gardiner PHD

In 2025, a group of students from Liverpool John Moores University including - Matthew Gardiner PHD, and Patryk Kulikowski  - went into the field to conduct fascinating studies on Barbary macaques in the heart of their native land in Morocco. 

Here at Trentham Monkey Forest, conservation and groundbreaking research are what we are all about. 

We support several organisations that protect some of the world's most vulnerable primates. Some of the collaborations focus on knowledge about wildlife and facilitate world-class research projects to gain deeper insights into a variety of species. One of those is through the Primate Society of Great Britain (PSGB), made possible by our baby monkey adoption pack sales.

While helping to collect data in Azrou, Morocco, Patryk documented his experience with the macaques and has since written the below diary of his time spent there.

Monkey Forest - Home & Away

From Staffordshire to the Slopes of Atlas

Six weeks ago, I stepped through the gates of Trentham Monkey Forest. The entrance was a portal. Joined by hundreds of visitors, all drawn by the chance to meet Barbary macaques in person, I was transported to the luscious landscape of the Atlas Mountains: no passport required.

The thrill was irresistible; free-roaming monkeys, not behind a glass or wire fence, but at arm’s length. They moved with an ease and independence that was almost human. So familiar in expression and posture, yet wonderfully wild.

‘Do Not Feed the Monkeys’‘

Stay on the Path’

I read the boards carefully, posted at regular intervals along the trail. Warnings? Suggestions? At the time, they felt like gentle, casual reminders. Today, I understand how important they were, protecting both me and the monkeys.

Now, I’m writing this from Morocco, where I’m working as a wildlife research assistant in the heart of the Middle Atlas Mountains. And let me tell you, these forests could use those signs. Here, the Barbary macaques are truly wild. No posters. No paths. No gift shops in sight.

Roaming Free: From Tree to Tree

From the dense canopy, they watch us; curious, camouflaged and care-free. Their kingdom: brimming with cedar, carpeted in moss and alive from the fanfare of birdsong. It doesn’t only shelter them, it shapes how they live. I’ve seen them leap unimaginable lengths and balance on the branches of tree tops.

They dine on roots and beetles, each feast messy and loud, jousting fiercely for the best bites. Motionless, they lock eyes, widen their mouths, and so the hierarchy is established. Their toothless gape is more frightening than any growl. The silent threat is deafening.
They live with no rulebook and without clocks. They follow instinct, not instruction. Every leap, lunge, or lingering stare is theirs alone. Among themselves, they discuss responsibilities through action, and their duties are shared. Like many of us, they have the responsibility to babysit: looking after infants to stop them wandering off. But sometimes it seems like they do it just for fun, even the yearlings join in.

They groom, they chatter, they flick insects from each other’s backs. Its more than hygiene; it’s a ritual, strengthening bonds one whisk at a time. Young ones wriggle into the centre, eager for attention, while the adults close their eyes and rest. Its baffling how cold the mornings get, but seeing them lip-smack and huddle, chases the chill away.

Hazards in the High Atlas

Even so, life in the wilderness isn’t easy. Still, a peaceful forest can hide danger in plain sight, under branches, behind rocks and especially right in front of you. Even the monkeys are disguised as boulders. But in a world where scorpions make a tasty snack, who could possibly scare the Barbary macaque?

Just today, we tracked the monkeys up the rocky trail, where they finally settled, 1525m up a mountain top. Everything was peaceful. Yearlings chased after each other as the adults foraged. An infant even managed to wrestle its way from its mothers back onto their first tree. Far from the rest of the world, nothing seemed to bother them.

‘AHR-AHR-AHR-AHR’
The sudden repeating shriek travelled throughout the forest with urgency. Looking up to locate the sound, we saw a monkey arrowed towards the bushes, overlooking the trees with a stiff spine and sharp nose. In the span of a quick glance, the remaining troop disappeared and several more chirps emerged from the canopy in unison.

“They see something we cannot,” said my colleague. Honestly, I’m not sure if she wanted to scare me or not, but it worked. A shiver shot down my back. Slowly, the bush shook and the mysterious creature revealed itself. A baby sheep poked its head out of the leaves. Soon after, four shepherd dogs also appeared, running to the trees, barking and jumping to clear a path for the herd…

Snakes, hawks and dogs, the monkeys know to avoid these. But other threats can’t be outrun. Climate change is here and it’s reshaping the world faster than the monkeys can adapt. Heatwaves hit hard, followed by heavy storms that wash away plants and insects. One swift flash and a distant thud, their homes fall apart. Less food and fewer trees forces them to roam further and fight more often, especially over water. Tourists mean more rubbish: crisp packets and fizzy drinks, stolen by thirsty primates. It may look funny, but the sweet drinks and salty snacks create real health problems for the macaques.

Trailblazing for a better future

Let’s set the tough stuff aside for a moment. One amazing thing I’ve seen here is how many people genuinely step up to help, and how many different teams are involved. For example, what we’re doing here with Plastic Primates is pretty special. Plastic Primates looks at how, because of habitat loss, many monkeys are now living closer to cities. They look to understand how much the Barbary macaques can adapt to this ‘changing world’, and what people can do to bridge that gap. They find better ways to live alongside wildlife and share that knowledge.

But this isn’t just the same old ‘save the planet’ talk, it’s real advice. We keep the national park updated on where the monkeys go, how many there are, and the times when people and monkeys don’t get along. In return, the park takes action. One great thing they’ve said they’ll begin doing is putting up signs that teach people about how to
act around the monkeys. They’ve already started planning to hire eco-guards that will supervise the monkey mayhem, and most importantly, they’re working to introduce new laws that ban feeding wildlife. Sound familiar?

If so, it’s because Trentham Monkey Forest have been doing this since 2005. Their strict ‘no feeding, no touching’ policy has helped keep monkeys and people safe for 20 years now, with a dedicated crew of animal keepers filling the role of eco-guards. The monkeys have access to seeds, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as the space to forage for themselves- like they would in the wild.

It’s seriously impressive, but you don’t need to own a private forest or a bunch of monkeys to make a difference. One of the most powerful things you can do? Get people to care.

Talk about what’s happening. Post it, draw it, turn it into a project, a banner, or a noisy conversation. If you see something about an animal in need- share it.

Most people ignore what they don’t understand, so explain it to them. It doesn’t have to be big or loud every time. Even small things, like asking questions, matter.

Change doesn’t always start with shouting. Sometimes, it starts with someone who simply cares enough to speak up.