We are happy to announce the birth of one little white baby Colobus within Luciana’s Troop (one of our resident troops). Spotted by Luciana last week we all went down to see this small ball of fluff. Now on its fifth day, the newest member of the troop named Doa, looks healthy and is the centre of attention for the other 8 members of its family. Unfortunately though we have been unable to gather his/her gender. When Colobus are born they have a coat of pure white. This white coat acts as a trigger for the other members of the troop to pay attention to the infant. Therefore by sharing parental responsibilities the mother has time to feed. This can be seen in the troop where the infant is now the centre of attention. In fact the affinity Colobus have for white is quite outstanding. They have even been known to come to the ground to pick up and care for white-coated kittens! Dola, the adult female mother, is a great mother and has sired several offspring, the last being born almost exactly one year ago. You can see in the photo below that her last child, Dhani, and another member of the troop are showing interest their new sibling. Unfortunately, though she has stayed close to Dola have not been able to get a decent photo of his/her face. Doa will have to put up with a lot of this poking, pulling and being passed around over the next 3 months whilst he/she develops her full coat and learns to be independent. Its all character building though!
This is a great time of year for a Colobus to give birth as the soft shoots, fruits, leaves and flowers that abound during the rains will give it’s mother, Dola, the nutriment she needs to produce milk. So we have every hope for Doa’s future and are keeping a close eye on her/him. With the next chance we have we intend to observe Doa and try and identify whether he or she is a he or a she! We’ll keep you updated! Regards, Gwili
On the 31st of March 2008 representatives from government authorities including, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS), the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) and the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) along with the Colobus Trust (CT) and the South Coast Residents Association (SCRA) visited the Baobab Beach Resort (BBR) in Diani in response to reports that BBR was clearing its indigenous forest. It was found that a considerably sized area of forest had been cleared down to the ground in two weeks, with little care for the preservation of the forest. Also, a trench was being built onto the beach with a pipeline for supposed water drainage and other disturbance had occurred within the 30-meter buffer zone above the High-Tide Mark. Respect should of course be shown for the laws of Kenya by developers, both foreign and native. However, it would seem that when money is to be made such laws are flouted, and that corruption will continue to take its toll on Kenya’s environment, resulting in a huge impact on the people and the wildlife. BBR is at fault for three main reasons: 1. It is illegal to disturb the 30-meter riparian zone; which is protected as part of the Diani-Chale Marine Reserve; this law is imperative for the ambience of the area, which directly affects the tourist trade, and also for the integrity of the Marine Protected Area (MPA). Turtles lay their eggs above the high water mark within the 30-meter ‘Riparian’ zone, the area hosts a variety of flora and is also a refuge and foraging area for a variety of fauna. The 30-meter zone also provides protection for the land from erosion. 2. Large-scale development of private land is restricted under the EMCA Act of 1999 (Environmental Management Coordination Act). The EMCA Act sets out guidelines and requires an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment), which must be undertaken before large-scale development starts. This is an all-inclusive process, which must then be put out for public scrutiny in The Kenya Gazette before it is allowed to proceed. This process was ignored by the developers at BBR, as no EIA was undertaken nor was anything posted in the Kenya Gazette. 3. Work on the site has been ongoing until 10pm every night, which is contrary to the guidelines of the laws of Kenya. They continued to create this illegal noise pollution by working after 5pm throughout the last two weeks. This was done as the contractors were under a deadline. NEMA representative Mr. Bakari stated that it was illegal for construction work to take place beyond 5pm as it is classed as noise pollution. Work continued until 10 pm and on the last night of excavation (5/4/08) it went on until 1 am! Trucks also ignore the 50kph speed limit on the road and bring more materials to the site where the construction of buildings has started. The damage goes way beyond the ancient endemic trees, which are now lost. Reports have been received of influxes of displaced monkeys moving into near by forests, causing high densities of species during this time of year when naturally occurring food is scarce and every animal waits for the rains to arrive. A myriad species will have suffered during the destruction; larger types of arboreal (tree dwelling) or aerial species such as birds and primates may have been able to flee, however it is extremely likely that many of the smaller terrestrial and arboreal species will have been seriously impacted (if not killed) as the trees fell. Smaller mammal species will also have been unable to flee beyond what is left of their forest as BBR recently walled off this plot. Earlier requests by the Colobus Trust to put in 10-inch square gaps in the wall for the passage of these small mammals were denied after the BBR management insisted that 6-inch drainage pipes would be sufficient. Species that will have been affected include: Primates: Angolan Colobus Monkey, Vervet Monkey, Sykes Monkey, Yellow Baboon, Greater Galago, Lesser Galago. Other Mammals: Tree Hyraxes, Suni Antelope, Duikers, Hedgehogs, Bush Cats, African Civets, Genet Cats, Ratel, Fruit Bats, the many Insectivorous Bats, Golden Rumped Elephant Shrews, Gambian Rats, Bush Rats and other unnamed Rodentia species. Birds: Many will have been able to flee but their nests will have been lost. Primary forest is the nesting place of many of the larger species, notably the Owl & Owlet species and our beautiful birds of prey. The magnificent Silver-Cheeked Hornbills, which nest at this time of year, were among the first to flee. As the male seals the female within a hole in the tree when nesting it is expected that many of the female Silver-cheeked hornbills will have been lost. Reptiles: Tortoises, Savannah & Water Monitor Lizards, Great Plated Lizards, Tree Agamas, Green Mambas, many native lizards and tree snakes. Invertebrates: This is the time of year that Butterflies are plenty, as well as other invertebrate species including Golden Orb Spiders, Crab Spiders, Giant Coast Millipedes, Giant Land Snails, Terrestrial Hermit Crabs & the thousands of other creatures found in the forest. Local outrage continues as many realize how easy it is to bypass the laws put in place to protect the environment. BBR promotes itself as an environmentally friendly hotel, ‘famed for its birdlife’; this is based on an Environmental Award they won in 2001. They say a visit to BBR is to “discover an unspoilt tropical paradise … set in one of the last vestiges of virgin coastal rainforest”. The last part sadly, holds true; the Diani Forest is indeed one of the last remaining Coastal Rag Forests of the world. IUCN identified this type of forest as one of Kenya’s endemic habitats and an East African Biodiversity Hotspot. Bird Life International also recognizes the Coral Rag Forests of Kenya as an IBA (Important Bird Area). Unfortunately though, within Diani, the idea of a ‘virgin’ forest is almost at a close. We were outraged by one of the people responsible for BBR. Who stated that the initial release made by the Colobus Trust on our blog was “dramatic and exaggerated”. She also said that the original appeal was a “Most unfortunate reaction to loss of a few trees that will be replaced anyway, considering the number of families whose lives will be enhanced by the extra jobs that will be created. Baboons or tourists? What does the country need most?” We are in agreement about one thing here; our appeal was “drastic” because this is what the situation is. It was still nevertheless shocking to hear this level of ignorance, within a in a position of such responsibility. The Colobus Trust undertook a recent survey of Diani tourists and found that around 92% chose Diani over other, cheaper, resorts because of its forests and the nature contained within them. Are some tour operators, who should themselves be promoting responsible tourism, completely unaware of this fact, or indeed of the protective laws? Many Diani hoteliers aim to turn Diani in an eco-tourism destination; they feel that a responsible resort within, yet not harming, the forest would not only be the morally correct path but also a more profitable one for Kenya’s tourist industry and the economy of Kwale district - incidentally one of the poorest in Kenya. This concept is based on the hope that tourists coming to enjoy the natural beauty of Diani will have a lower impact on the environment and people of the area and that they will also benefit eco-friendly businesses including wildlife concerns in other parts of the Kwale District (i.e. Maluganji Elephant Sanctuary, The Shimba Hills NR, Kisite Marine Park, etc), as they are more likely to want to move around outside their hotel environment. Yesterday, 11th April, a meeting was called with our new District Commissioner (D.C.) now based in Msambweni, Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo. Those present included Mr. Bakari of NEMA, Mr. Abdullah Aziz of Pollmans (one of the main stakeholders in BBR), Mrs. Luciana Parazzi (Chairperson of the SCRA), Mr. Macharia and myself representing the Colobus Trust. The situation was brought to the attention of the D.C. and discussion ensued as how this must be prevented from happening again. Mr. Aziz admitted that Baobab was wrong from the start in that they never obtained their EIA (and which still appears still not to have been done as we were assured that by this week their assessor would have contacted both CT and SCRA and we are still waiting). He also assured us that Pollmans is committed to conservation and would do their best to repair damages done and replant indigenous trees and that noise pollution laws would be followed. He also assured us that noise pollution from their discos and animators would be controlled once the season starts as it can be heard from a kilometer away. Both the CT and SCRA are going to continue to monitor the situation and ensure that these promises are upheld. The D.C. has assured us that that he will make sure that in future the Planning Officer does not approve any plans unless he/she sees the EIA approval in order to avoid any future developers causing the same errors and damage. He also asked CT and SCRA to be “watchdogs” and immediately report any developer/person seen cutting down indigenous trees. The CT and SCRA finished the meeting by insisting on the need for developers to learn to respect both the NEMA representative and all his orders, as well as the CT and SCRA. Which has not been the case here. We also pointed out that Mr. Bakari, who has our full support, is limited in his tasks by having no vehicle, no computer and no immediate emailing facilities, (for this he has to travel 25 km to Ukunda). Mr. Aziz suggested we get all stakeholders together to do a “harambee” and raise money for the purchase of a vehicle, a laptop and email facilities. We hope this happens. This is now the time to trigger a change in the developmental future of the Kenya. Thankfully it would seem like we also have begun to see recognition of this from the government when yesterday’s Nation newspaper had a NOTICE TO ALL LAND DEVELOPERS, PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, which emphasized the requirements for building/penalties/laws etc. This is the first sign that the authorities are finally listening to us, but it will be a long road. This ad is also going to help when shortly CT, SCRA, NEMA and KWS start to investigate the hundreds of beach walls and other illegal structures which are mushrooming all along our beaches in defiance of the 30-meter riparian zone. The realization of the ease with which BBR made these mistakes and the difficulty we have had to trigger the enforcement of the law has brought us, and hopefully you our supporters, to one conclusion. The time has come to ask if Kenya’s coastal tourism is taking the environment and laws of Kenya seriously? What are Government bodies doing to ensure that this coastal gem is not being destroyed? Many developments, which adversely impact the environment, people and cultures of the Kenya coast are justified by the oft-used excuse that they will ‘create jobs’: but why do we have to choose between job creation and the environment? Why can’t we have both? Isn’t it time we looked to those in the tourist industry who do manage to get this happy medium as an example as the way forward? Isn’t it time that the laws of Kenya were respected? Isn’t it time that developers, both foreign & native, showed Kenyans that they will respect the environment in which they work? Shouldn’t we be campaigning for this right now before our beautiful coastal forests become another concrete jungle? If this plea is heard and acted upon, the enforcement of the laws set up to protect habitats such as Diani may be more closely followed and maybe what is left in Diani and the last remaining refuges south of Diani (namely the Chale-Kinondo Forest, which appears to be set with the same fate as Diani’s forest) will be protected. Together we have started on this long path but we need to keep building up this pressure, from all mediums, to really make our shout heard. Please help us in whatever way you can to spread this story and plead for our case to be heard. Now is not the time to point fingers at BBR for their mistakes but to make sure this never happens again by writing to the relevant people within the government, as well as those responsible within the construction and tourism industries and ask them to make sure they act responsibly. Would all those who want to see this change please write to (or email) the NEMA Department General in Nairobi putting pressure on NEMA to initiate the changes Kenya needs: dgnema@swiftkenya.com NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY, Thank you for your time, Gwili Gibbon
Despite the constant extra work we have had put upon us by the illegal clearing of the forest at Baobab Beach Resort I can happily report that the rest of The Colobus Trust’s responsibilities are being carried out as normal! This morning we rescued and relocated a and a half meter long Water Monitor Lizard from Leisure Lodge Hotel, to a more suitable area of thick forest (which is becoming much harder to find in Diani!). Our team responded swiftly with Peter, John (two of our field-staff) and myself responding within 20 minutes of being notified.
Once at the site we collected the animal, which had already been captured by the gardeners. This had been done because it had been terrorising (though we suspect terrifying would be a better word) tourists. We could understand their fears, it was a large and impressive specimen with a formidable temper. But it proved no trouble to us as it had already been captured and we put it in the back of our pick-up (above) ready for its journey. It did however give a terrible fright to the Askari (security guard) at the gate when he inspected our vehicle! We were then left with the job of working out where was best to release it. This was decided on a number of factors. Monitor lizards require a constant terrestrial source of water (more than other animals) and are often persecuted by local peoples (sometimes rightly so, as they often eat chickens) so our local Kayas were out of the question. Luckily though we knew of a large area of thicket within the Diani Forest that would be perfect as it has a near by water source and is of a substantial size.
Once at the location I got my camera ready, whilst John and Peter prepared to release the animal. They made sure they were well out of its path and then opened the cage. Above it can be seen rapidly running off into the forest! After this Peter took a team out to maintain our Colobridges and I have returned to the office to keep you all updated on our work. Hopefully either this afternoon or tomorrow we will have posted an update on the Baobab situation. Gwili Gibbon
The Colobus Trust and the South Coast Residents Association went to look the Baobab Beach Resort development again today. We were once again reminded of the momentous challenges we face when we discovered they were still working on the site digging up the old coral that makes up our bedrock with their huge rock crusher as seen continuing after the ban below.
This is more evidence that they have no care for our forest, or even Kenyan law. They were told by NEMA last week to halt all major works for two weeks whilst the Environmental Impact Assessment was undertaken. They were also told not to work on the beach. They had left a massive scar in the beach where they were working on the suspicious trench and were working on a beach wall. We discovered this because there is only one NEMA representative in the Kwale District who had inadequate time or funding to regularly come into Diani. Ironically, after visiting the site, we bumped into the daughter original developer (Mr England), Sandra Ruysenaars. She told us that when the initial building work was done it was all planned around the trees. They were the reason people came to Diani. Let us hope these days are not over. We have been shocked to see such a change in the mentality of developers in the last half centaury. Sandra burst into tears when we showed her photos of what had been done and said that her father would be “turning in his grave”. We are currently working on articles about this catastrophe to be sent to the East African Wildlife Society and Coastweek as well as contacting tour operators who support the Baobab Beach Resort. We have also sent an appeal to the headman of NEMA, who’s based in Nairobi, where we outline the problems in Diani. We hope this may persuade him to increase funding, and support of the laws, in our district and, ideally, the rest of Kenya. Please help us by emailing gwili@colobustrust.org with any further contacts within the media, conservation or tourism worlds. Even if you have already contacted them, we need to keep track of what is said on our behalf and want to keep a database of all those who have heard about our battle. Thanks so much for the support and help already received and keep it coming! Gwili Gibbon
Update: 4th April 2008 Yesterday we announced that on the 31st of March 2008 The Colobus Trust management, along with the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the South Coast Residents Association visited one of the hotels in Diani in response to a report that they were clearing their forest. Representative from the relevant government authorities (Kenya Wildlife Services, The Kenya Forestry Commission & the National Environmental Management Authority) joined us. We found that a large area of forest had been completely levelled in two weeks, with no apparent care for the preservation of the forest. They were also building a trench onto the beach and other disturbance had occurred within the 30-meter buffer zone above the High-Tide Mark. This often forgotten rule was put in place when the beach was protected as part of the Diani-Chale Marine Reserve. There is no enforcement of this protection of the coral reefs and mangrove forests.
We can now announce that the hotel in question was Baobab Beach Resort. Large-scale development of private land, like this case, is restricted under the EMCA Act of 1999 (Environmental Management Coordination Act), the rules of which the developers had completely ignored. This means the area cleared was done so illegally. The EMCA Act sets out guidelines and requires and EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) to be undertaken before large-scale development starts. This is an all-inclusive process, which must then be put out for public scrutiny in The Kenya Gazette before it is allowed to proceed. This process was ignored and no EIA was undertaken nor was anything posted in the Kenya Gazette.
Currently work has been put on hold for two weeks whilst an EIA is undertaken. We are trying to get in contact with the man in charge of the project. The forest will never regenerate with the large level of disturbance we have in Diani, but we are insistent that they must plan many indigenous seedlings in its place. Still though this will not be allowed to pass quietly. This experience is heartbreaking for so many of Diani’s long-time residents who used to associate Baobab’s name with people who cared more about the forest and its inhabitants. In recent years, under the new ownership, the current management do not seem to share this dream of eco-friendly responsible tourism.
We have also discovered the reason why this happened right under our noses. The hotel has recently gotten a new contract with the largest all-inclusive package holiday company in the world. They were working until 10 p.m. every night, which is also illegal; to build the new accommodation, swimming pool & restaurant for the new guests they were promised that would arrive weekly. It is unfortunate but the all-inclusive “bargain” holiday resorts in Diani have snubbed the hopes of so many other hoteliers who aim to turn Diani in an eco-tourism resort. They feel that a responsible resort living within, yet not harming, the forest would not only be the morally correct path but also a more profitable one for the industry but also for the economy of our district, one of the poorest in Kenya. This is based on the idea that those who come here for the wildlife, our monkeys, butterflies, birds and trees will feed more into the tourist fed businesses in the rest of the Kwale District (i.e. Maluganji Elephant Sanctuary, The Shimba Hills NR, Kisite Marine Park, etc). The effect this single incident has had on the wildlife is profound. The techniques used were appalling. First they levelled off the forest with bulldozers, and then they tore up all the topsoil. There was no attempt whatsoever to build around anything. The damage unfortunately goes way beyond just the ancient endemic trees lost. We have received reports of large influxes of displaced monkeys moving into near by forests. Causing high densities during this time of year when naturally occurring food is scarce and every animal waits for the rains to arrive. As well as this a myriad of species will have suffered during the destruction. Larger species arboreal (tree dwelling) or aerial species such as birds, primates were able to flee but many of the smaller terrestrial and arboreal species will have died as the trees fell. As well as this smaller mammal species would have been unable to flee beyond what is left of their forest as they recently walled off their plot. When, behalf of The Colobus Trust, I asked their manager to put in 10 inch squared gaps in the wall for the passage of small mammals, he said that their 6-inch drainage pipes would do and dismissed me. Among the species who lost their lives and/or home were: Primates: Angolan Colobus Monkey, Vervet Monkey, Sykes Monkey, Yellow Baboon, Greater Galago, Lesser Galago, We need your help to make something good out of this terrible event. Please help us spread this. We want everyone to know what cheap package holidays and poor enforcement of government laws are doing to Kenya’s remaining coastal forest. We also urgently need volunteers come help us study the impact this has had in more detail and stop it from happening again. Regards, Gwili Gibbon
On the 31st of March 2008 The Colobus Trust management, along with the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the South Coast Residents Association visited one of the hotels in Diani in response to a report that they were clearing their forest. We brought with us representatives from the relevant government authorities (Kenya Wildlife Services, The Kenya Forestry Commission & the National Environmental Management Authority). This hotel, which for the moment we cannot name, is one of the oldest in Diani. It has had a long history of cooperation with the Trust and care for the environment. But, under its current management it has gone the way of many hotels here and catered for package tourists. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw when we walked around the area they were expanding into. Through the use of bulldozers and a massive earth mover (which broke one of our Colobridges whilst being delivered) they had levelled an area of forest which is yet to be measured but is of a very large acreage. We estimate this to be at least one troop’s home range. Endangered indigenous trees, some of which had stood for hundreds of years, lay shattered in a pile whilst they dug into the bedrock to make room for a third swimming pool. They also were building within the 30 meter buffer zone above the high-tide mark, which is completely illegal and what is worse is that they appeared to be building a pipeline. We are currently in the process of dealing with NEMA to find out the details before we can name names or say anything was conclusively illegal.
We had a meeting with the manager on duty (the general manager left hastily before we arrived) and he tried, in vain, to justify their actions. He said that their development were legal and claimed that the gain to the construction workers outweighed the loss of the forest. He also said and I quote, that “fifty percent of their forest remained” this lead us to believe that they halved what once was. Please help us spread this terrible story before all of Diani Forest is calved up. We need to make people aware of this Any ideas or contacts within the media or responsible tourism industry who may help us would be fantastic. If we don’t make an example of this there will be no hope for the future of Diani Forest and its wildlife and the only jungle we will have will be a concrete one. Thanks for your time, Gwili Gibbon
It was on a Sunday morning and there were only the two of us, myself and Gwili. Everything was okay at the trust when suddenly there was a series of loud noises made by Baboons jumping on our cottage roof. When the baboon realized that we were approaching, it dropped the kitten and we delivered it to our vet just to make sure that the kitten was in good condition. For the most part it was, but it was starving. I rushed to the kitchen gave him some milk and a pinch of cat food. The kitten did not hesitate to eat and drink and within no time it was full and fell a sleep.
Shortly afterwards one of the board members, Miss Luciana, decided to pay visit with two of her friends from Nairobi. Her friends were very happy to see the kitten and even requested if it were possible for them to adopt the kitten, and as the Trust already have a cat there were no objections.
Now the kitten, named Nyani (the swahili for baboon), is in a much safer and happier environment because of the caring baboon who tried to nurture the abandoned stray. Peter Ndungu
I’m currently staying in Diani, visiting a good friend of mine, who is the assistant manager of the Colobus Trust. Even though I have only been here for just over a week it is clear that the work they are doing here is having a positive impact on the environment, and the education of tourists and locals alike. The bridges constructed above the roads by the Trust, which provide a safe passage for the monkeys, are a huge success. Every day I have seen, Sykes, Vervet and Colobus monkeys using them to cross the road safely. However, these bridges are also being utilised by other creatures such as squirrels and bush babies, so it is clear that these bridges are working. The Vervet monkeys that are currently in the Trust’s rehabilitation program are improving and becoming more self sufficient, meaning that, someday, they will be able to be released into the wild to fend for themselves. All injured animals have been welcomed here including an African wood owl, named Twit Twoo, and even a wild kitten who was delivered safely, as well having been neatly groomed, to the Trust by a baboon. Since I have been here, as well as the days leading up to my arrival, there have been no calls concerning injured monkeys, which obviously demonstrates the work being done here is working despite the Trust going through a tough period. However, the trust is now on the mend, financially, but its good work cannot continue for long unless more volunteers visit to lend a hand for a few weeks or months, or the trust receives some donations. The bridges are expensive to build and maintain, more and more of the remaining forest is being chopped down for the sake of more hotels along the coast, destroying the natural habitats of all the local animals. Its a sad thing to witness, but the Trust is putting up a valiant fight against the destructive forces of man, and with the help of other like minded individuals, we can save these species and create a better environment for both humans and animals. Harry Bristow
One of our Trustees, Luciana, received an young, injured African Wood Owl late last week and she’s become our latest patient. We’ve named her Bundi (the Kiswahili for owl) and she was found caught in a trap in the forest. Unfortunately, during the days she was stuck in this trap, she tore the ligaments in one of her wings and thus loosing the ability to fly well. Our vet, Dr Allan, told us that she had around a 50% chance of being able to fly again. This is good news and we have since prepared a special enclosure for her in our quarantine area, with a nice perch and shelter from the sun’s rays. She is doing well, eating mincemeat and feathers every night, albeit with a bit of coersion. We will continue to care for this lovely animal and hope her wing heals well.
This is an update of The Colobus Trust’s efforts to expand our presence on the world wide web. Beyond our amazing blog with WildlifeDirect that is! We now are represented on facebook with a cause: And a group: We also have a Flikr group: And, of course, our website: It is through these mediums that we intend to raise our profile. They will all be updated frequently and along with our blog we can promote ourselves and keep supporters informed. For those of you that wanted to know the situation with the young Sykes we had in. When I spoke to Kerstin this morning I asked her how everything was. She said that the young guy was doing very well but unfortunately his surrogate mother has fallen ill. We sent Peter & Robert, two of our field assistants, to help her and she’s now on her way to the vet. The youngun though is happily muching away on her bananas! We will keep you updated and I hope to get some pictures for you all next week. Also, our work with KPLC is ongoing. We are still working towards them reducing the fee. Keep up the support, Gwili
|
|
The Colobus Trust was established in Diani Beach, Kenya, in 1997 to save the endangered Angolan colobus monkey which was a frequent victim of roadkills. The Trust's trademark is Colobridges - bridges over the roads for save overpass. Gwili, a Welsh volunteer at the Trust reports on the day to day activities in an busy local primate conservation charity 
