Funded by the WSPA and aided by the Kenyan Forestry Department, Trust Field Assistant Bakari went back to Tanzania to help replicate the success of the Diani colobridges to help save the Zanzibar Red Colobus.

Bakari's First Trip to Zanzibar - 1999
The red colobus are known as the Colobus badius kirkii. The red colobus at Jozani forest have a problem with crossing the road in search of food trees mostly the broad leafed Indian Almond (Terminalia cattapa), which is widespread on the eastern side of the road. Fast moving cars kill the colobus as they cross in large troops of between fifty and sixty individuals.

In an attempt to save the red colobus from traffic carnage, WSPA is emulating the erection of Colobridges as has been done in Diani by the Colobus Trust. It is estimated that there are 3200 colobus remaining in Zanzibar today! On the 5th of October I was sent to Zanzibar to begin the Colobridge construction project.

After viewing the area in question, I found out that there were three sites that needed bridges. One of the three sites had a fig tree (Ficus sycamorous) on the western side of the road. I dug a meter deep pit to the east of the road and erected the eucalyptus pole for stabilizing the bridge. It took me three days to dig the pit, prepare the T-bar and the platform.

I came back to Diani Beach and hoped to go back so that I can finish the main bridge.

Bakari's Second Trip to Zanzibar - 2000
On the 4th of February 2000, I went to Mombasa to meet Mr. Mike and Dr. Nick at Doshi to purchase the following colobridge material for the Jozani Forest Colobus. Cable wire, galvanized chain, turn buckles thimble, D shackles, PVC pressure pipes, conduit pipes, PVC hose pipes, wire grips and masking tape.

On the 7th of February, I met Mr. Mike and Dr. Nick again at Moi International airport in Mombasa on our way to Zanzibar to finish the Jozani colobridge. We left the airport at 12:30 and arrived at Zanzibar at 13:05. We took a taxi to Blue Ocean Guest House where we stayed, then we went to the forestry department and met Mr. Rob Wild, the coordinator of CARE in Zanzibar. In the evening we surveyed the fish market and local restaurants where the cats usually hide and get their meals. Dr. Nick wants to start a vet clinic for the cats in Zanzibar.

On the 8th of February, we went to Jozani and started construction on the bridge and by noon, the rain started pouring which delayed our work for some hours. We waited until the rain stopped and for the bridge and the fig tree to dry. We hired two temporary casual labourers to help us with the work. By 16:30 the bridge was erected for the colobus.

On the 9th of February, we went back to Jozani to have photograph and film the colobus for WSPA. In the afternoon we visited ZALA Park (Zanzibar Land Animals Park) we met Mr. Muhamed Ayoub Haji, the director of the Park. In the Park, we saw the following animals: Nile monitor lizard, Aders duiker, chameleons, crabs, snakes - pythons and cobras.

On the 10th of February, we went to Changuu island 5 km west of Zanzibar to see and check on the Giant Aldabra tortoise project, which was started in 1996 by Mr. Mike and the regional manager for Africa WSPA. Before then, the tortoise were being sold by the local people to Japan, but now the project has an electric fence and there are 27 adult tortoise, 50 subadults and 200 young ones. The project is one of the biggest places which receives about 150 tourists a day and school children.

On 11th of February, on our way to the airport we met Dr. Shakirah Noun, a vet in Zanzibar. Dr. Nick gave her all the responsibilities to get a suitable site for the vet clinic and vet assistants: All expenses to be paid by WSPA. We left Zanzibar airport at 14:40 and arrived at Mombasa 15:15 and continued on my way to the Colobus Trust, south coast Diani Beach, Kenya.

The project involved the forestry departments and was funded by WSPA.