Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey
Piliocolobus kirkii
Conservation Status
EndangeredMammalia · Primates · Cercopithecidae
About
The Zanzibar red colobus is a species of red colobus monkey endemic to Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago, off the coast of Tanzania. It is also known as Kirk's red colobus after Sir John Kirk, the British Resident of Zanzibar who first brought it to the attention of zoological science. It is now classified as an endangered species and in the mid-1990s was adopted as the flagship species for conservation in Zanzibar. The population is still decreasing, and conservationists are attempting to work with the local government to devise a proper, effective strategy to protect the population and habitat. Challenges include the species' habitat, which is limited to the archipelago. The species has been reclassified three times; it was previously in the genus Colobus, then in the genus Procolobus, and later in the genus Piliocolobus.
Fun Fact
Locals on the island have called the Zanzibar red colobus kima punju which means "poison monkey" in Swahili because of their strong smell unlike other monkeys.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Found in three forests of the Zanzibar archipelago.
Diet
Eat leaf shoots, seeds, flowers, and unripe fruit.
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Loss
- Poaching and Hunting
- Human-Wildlife Conflict
- Disease