Rock of Gibraltar Cable Car Ride and Barbary Apes. Originaly from the Atlas mountains and the Rif mountains of Morocco, the Barbary Macaque population in Gibraltar is the only wild monkey population in the European continent. Although most populations in Africa are facing declining populations due to hunting and deforestation, the population of Barbary monkeys in Gibraltar is growing. At present, some 300 animals in five troops occupy the Upper Rock area of the Gibraltar Nature Reserve, though they make occasional forays into the town. They are also known locally as Barbary apes or rock apes, despite being monkeys.