Colobus Trust

This is our first blog entry for a while as our old Assistant Manager, Paul, left to further his education leaving us without a knowledgable blogger. But now I have learnt the way of the blog, I can take over. Firstly, however, I would like to introduce myself. I am Gwili, the new Assistant Manager, I have returned to Diani after spending 3 months here, as a Colobologist, in 2004. I come from the UK, have recently completed a degree in Zoology, and arrived here just over a week ago. Since the last time I was here much has changed and much has not. The trust has a lovely new location with much better facilities, but the forest has continued to disappear and the threats of electrocution and the road are still claiming many lives.

Since my arrival a lot has happened. On the positive side we have represented our cause at the Diani Goat Derby, applied for funding for a Colobus Tuk-Tuk and continued the weekly activities (such as the trimming of trees around the power lines) which are so vital to the survival of the wildlife. But as with any story, there are some sad parts. We sadly lost 3 Colobus in one day, two were lost to the power lines and one to what we can only assume was old age, and just this morning we learnt of a house that is to be built on the outskirts of the Mijikenda sacred forest, Kaya Ukunda. This is terrible news as it is exactly where we had started to build a small centre for the guardians of the forest.

But, as ever, we are hopeful. There is much to be done, taught and learnt and through this work we hope we can save this beautiful habitat from disappearing from Diani. Because, lets face it, there are few places where you can stay in such luxury with such that you can enjoy a cold beer in a swimming pool overlooking the reef and watch these amazing monkeys doing the same. That is, if you replace the pool with a baobab tree and the beer with some nice fresh leaves!

Gwili Gibbon
Assistant Manager