The Colobus Trust works to develop and implement innovative conservation solutions in five areas of human/wildlife conflict. these conflict areas are:   Habitat loss, Primates as pests, Vehicular collisions, Electrocutions, Poaching.  Click on conflict area to see some of the solutions that the Trust has developed to create a win-win situation for the primates and for the community.

Solutions for Habitat Loss       Solutions for Primates as Pests     Solutions for Road Traffic Accidents

Solutions for Electrocutions     Solutions for Poaching
 

Protecting the last fragments of primary forest in Diani

The coastal forests of Kenya form part of the Coastal Forests of East Africa global 'biodiversity hotspot' as identified by Conservation International .  Hotspots are identified by the high number of endemic species that they contain, and the high level of threat to biodiversity that exists in the area.  Within the Coastal Forests of East Africa hotspot, there are found at least 64 globally threatened species (6 mammals, 3 birds, 2 amphibians, 53 plants).

One primate species that is endemic to these forests and is under extreme pressure from human development is Colobus angolensis palliatus, the Angolan black and white colobus monkey.  This monkey is extremely rare with fewer than 13,000 individuals globally - less than that of gorillas.  In and around the resort town of Diani, there are c. 270 individuals.  This constitutes the second largest population in Kenya with the Diani Forest as the stronghold for the species as it is the last primary forest patch in the area.  This makes Diani an important area for conservation and securing the Diani Forest critical.

The Diani Forest is one of three patches of coral rag forest remaining.  The forest is only 89 hectares in size.  Continuous expansion of development for tourism over the past 40 years has had a staggering increase of over 1700% growth.  While this is a tremendous success for businesses, it has contributed massively to deforestation to the point that the success of tourism will affect its own ability to do business in the future. 

How so?  The forest and wildlife are undervalued assets in spite of ‘ecotourism’ and 'ecotourists' having become an increasingly important branch of foreign travel.  Promotion of “natural areas” for tourists who have an interest in and awareness of environmental issues cannot be underestimated, especially in future trends planning.  In fact, the Colobus Trust carried out a tourist survey and found that 85% of the tourists surveyed in Diani felt that the local natural environment was important in their choice of holiday destination. 

In essence, land use planning has not kept pace with the needs of the natural environment.  This is surprising considering that tourism is recognized as a major industry of the country and indeed one of the largest sources of foreign exchange earnings in Kenya. Through conservation of the forest, Diani’s appeal as a destination would not only be linked to a beach holiday, but also linked to forest and primate ecotourism giving greater long term sustainability to the area.

Solutions:

• The Trust is looking to purchase 3.9 hectares of Diani Forest.    You can help save the Diani Forest by donating to the fund to try to purchase this piece of critical land.  Any donation of any size is gratefully accepted.  For more information email jophie@colobustrust.org

• Weekly tree planting in a local sacred forest Kaya Ukunda which includes clearing away weeds and underbrush, planting trees, keeping them watered and protected from insects.

• Maintenance of an indigenous tree nursery at the Colobus Trust to use for planting trees in and around Diani.

Decreasing the frequency of primate pest behaviour

Many hotels and local area homes on Diani Beach experience issues with monkeys as pests on their premises. Efficient running of the hotels is impeded by theft of food and damage to property; risk of injury to guests can, and has, led to potentially
 damaging law-suits. Monkeys also steal food from homes and spread rubbish around while searching for food. The root cause of monkey pest issues (as with other types of pest issues such as rats and cockroaches) is easy access to food sources. 

Solutions:

• We offer training to hotel staff to teach them ways to minimise monkey pest issues. This includes use of water pistols, catapults with non-harmful ammunition such as twigs, protection of rubbish and informing guests to not feed the monkeys or leave food lying around. 

• Teaching local people to protect their rubbish bins and to guard crops or food for sale to prevent monkeys from stealing food. 

• Teaching tourists and locals to not feed monkeys voluntarily. 

• Children from local schools come on a weekly basis to learn about primates and how to live harmoniously with them. 

Decreasing injury & mortality by placing colobridges, aerial ladders spanning the road

When the Trust was founded, one of the main threats to Diani's colobus monkeys was death caused by road traffic accidents. The home ranges of these arboreal primates have been bisected by a major road, Diani Beach Highway, and they are subsequently very prone to road injuries and death whilst crossing through their ranges. 

Solutions:

• The Colobus Trust designed a cable, rubber and PVC bridge that straddles the Diani Beach highway.  Currently, there are 23 'Colobridges' crossing the highway.  A preliminary study has shown that per year, there are approximately 150,000 primate crossings - crossings that most likely would have happened on the road had it not been for the bridges.

•  In addition to the initial bridge-building activities, we also go out to inspect and repair any damaged Colobridges weekly. 

• We have created speed-limit signs along Diani Beach Highway reminding drivers to go no faster than 50KMH.  

• In the event that a primate is injured but not killed, the Colobus Trust has a working veterinary clinic to treat these injured monkeys. 

You can sponsor a Colobridge in Diani Beach that will have your name on it! Click here for more information!

Reducing injury & mortality by electrocution

Uninsulated power lines are numerous in Diani. As tree branches often come into contact with the power lines, primates, and particularly the Angolan colobus who are almost exclusively arboreal, use the power lines as an easy way of crossing from one area to another.

Almost all of the main lines in Diani of 22,000 volts are uninsulated. As a result, many primates are killed instantly when crossing between lines.  The domestic lines of 240 volts often injure an animal through serious burns or loss of limb, leading to a high number of secondary fatalities caused by infection. 

Solutions:

• A collaboration between Colobus Trust and the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has been formed to carry out weekly tree-trimming around power lines. Tree trimming involves cutting back vegetation from power lines and transformers so that the monkeys have reduced contact with them. We perform tree trimming on a weekly basis. 

• We urge local hotels and businesses to insulate their power lines. Not only is it better for Diani primates, every time a monkey is electrocuted it knocks out power to most or all of Diani for sometimes days at a time. 

• Occasionally a primate will be electrocuted but not killed - our veterinary clinic rescues these monkeys and treats them. Most often the limb that has been electrocuted will have to be amputated. 

Rehabilitation of ex-captive  monkeys

Solutions:

• We currently have a rehabilitation program to help re-teach these primates to live in the wild.  The program involves teaching them to have a natural fear of humans, how to forage and find natural food sources, and how to live in a troop setting. 
• This program typically takes 12-18 months for each primate. Once we have enough primates to form a working troop and they appear to be able to take care of themselves without human interference, we release them into the wild and monitor their progress. 

De-snaring of forests

Solutions:

• We weekly patrol local forest patches searching for and destroying snares.  
• Students come to the Trust on a weekly basis to learn about our work and why poaching wild bush meat is a problem for primates and other animals in Diani. 
• If someone sees a primate with a snare embedded in its flesh, they will call the Colobus Trust to come out and capture it. We then treat it in our veterinary clinic for infection, dehydration, starvation, and other problems that arise from the snares.