Colobus Trust

Last week we got a call from the Diani Sea Resort about a sick black and white Colobus monkey lying just outside their fence. We immediately rushed there to rescue the monkey and on arrival we were shown where it lay. At first glace we thought  that the monkey was already dead because it lay there motionless but as we went closer it started moving and we all were relieved. We quickly examined it and realized it had severe burns to its rear hind legs and possible infection.

Above: The infected wound

We immediately put her in a cage and brought her back to the trust clinic for further examination. We called Dr Allan (the vet) to come and take a closer look at the severally infected burn wounds. He cleaned them up but said they are extensively infected and the gangrene had gone into the ankle bone so we had no option but to put it down.

Above: Dr Allan working on the patient

This is the reason the trust is seriously advocating for the insulation of power lines to significantly decrease the cases of Colobus electrocution. The number of Colobus fatalities as a result of electrocution is very alarming to the trust. We are trying our best by insulating known hot spots and have kindly received some assistance from donations from various individuals and organisations towards this cause.  However, there is still more work to be done in regards to insulation if we want to save the endangered black and white Colobus monkey. Help now if you can- we appreciate any donation. 

Thanks,

The Colobus Team.

Last Tuesday we responded to a series of reports about a Sykes monkey that had been involved in a traffic accident near Leopard Beach Resort. We had been told that it was a mother and an infant that had been hit. When we reached the site we discovered that the mother was very badly injured and only able to drag herself on her fore-legs. The infant was alive but unconscious when we got to her. We transferred the mother to the cage and Rob took the infant in his hands and we rushed back to the trust. The infant did not show any obvious external injuries and seemed to be breathing ok. About half way back to the trust the infant started gasping and, unfortunately, she had died by the time we had made it back. The mother was taken up to the vet clinic, where it was decided that she had broken her back and we were forced to put her down.

Above: The mother and infant.

It is often the case that these deaths are accidental. It is known, however, that some people take matters into their own hands and speed up when they see a monkey in front of their car. It’s important that we work with the local community to make this minority of people understand the work that we do here at the trust, and how they can help us to help them for the future! Conserving the wildlife here will ultimately provide for them and their families through tourism.

These cases are sad enough to report but even more so for us as volunteers, as the infant was only slightly bigger than Erica (our orphaned Sykes) is now. The trust has already put up more signposts encouraging the adherence to the 50kmph speed limit as well as putting in speed bumps in problem areas. Let’s hope we can bring the number of road traffic incidents down even further than we already have.

Rob and Cara

On Tuesday 29^th September there were three awful electrocutions at Diani Sea Resort, resulting in the death of a young Colobus, who was approximately a year old. The young Colobus was seen climbing the poles of the power line and electrocuting itself; the mother and another Colobus jumped after it, also injuring themselves.

Above: The juvenile Colobus

When we tried to remove the young Colobus from the forest floor the mother became agitated and attacked me, jumping onto my back and attempting to bite me. This is a sad state of affairs as it illustrates the strong bond between mother and young and for this relationship to have ended so soon is completely unnecessary. The other two Colobus were not injured so badly and remained in the tree. We will be returning to the troop to check their injuries regularly.

Above: The badly burned hand of the Colobus

Diani Sea Resort has an area of forest beside it that has an un-insulated power line running through it. In the power line there is a join and this is where the electrocutions occur when the Colobus climb the poles. We are now hoping to work with Diani Sea Resort and KPLC (Kenya Power and Lighting Company) to develop a solution to this problem because in the past six weeks there have been six cases of electrocutions resulting in two known deaths.

We will update you on any news concerning the other Colobus at Diani Sea Resort, as well as our progress with insulating the power line and connectors.

Please donate now to help with future animal rescues.

Polly

Colobologist

So far in 2009 The Colobus Trust has hosted two groups of Camps International students. This is just one example of how we work together with, and host, other organisations to facilitate and promote the vast majority of our work.

21 students aged 17-20 joined us at our base for two blocks of five days. Both programs started with an in-house education day during which students. This consisted of a morning of informative lectures focusing on introducing the students to Colobus Monkeys, Colobus Monkey conservation, and a general lecture on safety in the field. They were also told what to expect in the forest. This was followed by an afternoon walking in the forest where they learnt about the history of the local Digo people and their Kaya Forests as well as seeing firsthand the threats posed to the future of Diani Forest.

The remaining part of the week was spent working on practical conservation activities. Many of which would not have been possible for us without the increased number of workers we had. Days were spent desnaring, undertaking beach cleanups, caring for and feeding our ex-pet Vervet monkeys, preparing insulation material (above) and much more. Many of our volunteers joined in to help with this.

The extra hands provided by the students allowed us to prepare the insulation material in record time and both programs facilitated the insulation of a hotspot and we covered over a kilometer of cable! Below is a picture of the insulation material being put into place on the Zawama hotspot.

It is thanks to organisations like Camps International, who work alongside and support us, as well as providing core funding, that we are able to carry on much of our work. We look forward to working together again in the future!

The Colobus Team

The month of January has sadly been a record breaker in terms of primate fatalities.

16 monkeys (Vervet: 2, Sykes: 7, Colobus: 6, Baboons: 1) have been lost in the 26 days January has so far seen. Not only is this a 533% increase on the 3 lost in the whole of December, but it is also a considerable proportion of Diani’s ever-dwindling primate populations. If this rate continues we will be looking at a complete population collapse within primates, over the next decade or less.

The majority of deaths occurred under the wheels of speeding vehicles, with 10 monkeys (Vervet: 2, Sykes: 7, Colobus: 1) being claimed by the road that cuts their habitat in half. A further 6 monkeys (Colobus: 5, Baboons: 1) have been electrocuted to death on the insinuated power lines and transformers that occur through Diani Forest. These two elements of habitat disturbance are unsurprisingly, the biggest threat to Diani’s primates.

Below is a picture of a Colobus we cared for after he was hit by a speeding car, as you can see his jaw was broken meaning he could only eat Bougainvillea porridge.

This notable increase in fatalities, when compared to last month’s figures, is sadly an explainable trend and mankind is irrefutably guilty. Although it has not been statistically proven, it is hypothesised to occur because of two factors. Firstly, the increased human traffic that occurs during this peak of the tourist season. This leads to an increase in not just road traffic, but the pedestrian traffic also makes monkeys more unlikely of coming to the ground. Thus leading them to come into contact with power lines more frequently. The second factor is caused by the current climate. We are in the middle of the “dry season” and therefore monkeys are moving further in search of food and water. These lead monkeys to pass more frequently through areas of conflict. Therefore explaining why our electrocution and road traffic accident hotspots claim even more lives at this time of year. People argue that man is not to blame for this, but reckless drivers and a failure to insulate power lines proves to the contrary.

This knowledge should serve as a brutal reminder to us all. We are facing a very real and imminent future where irresponsible tourism and development will cause the demise of this once glorious forest. Rest assured, the reality is bleak, but The Colobus Trust and its allies will continue the fight to save Diani’s monkeys from the future they currently face, but we need your help and support. Some of our readers will remember the days when Diani was a pioneering beach resort buried deep in the coastal rainforest. Now all that is left of this forest is confined to privately owned patches within hotels and peoples gardens. It is these vulnerable forests that make Diani such a popular tourist destination and something that only takes a little compromise to protect. Something that we should all recognise as our duty. If you need any advice on how to act responsibly please ask our advice. But for a start, simple things such as providing water dishes will make a difference.

Let us hope that, as in previous years, the death toll falls. However the many horrible sites witnessed by members of the Colobus Trust Animal Rescue Unit will stay with us for a long time. Those of you who have stopped for a dead monkey lying on the side of the road will know what we mean and feel our pain.

The Colobus Trust will continue its work with core projects such as Colobridge maintenance and Animal Rescue Unit as well as continuing with novel ideas. One of these will to push forward with our primate electrocution hotspot insulation project. This week we are hosting 9 Camp Kenya students, pictured above learning about the forest and undertaking a population check of Kaya Kinondo Forest. This will add to the team as we prepare the insulation material. On Thursday the 29th of January we will be insulating our second hotspot by Zawama. We will then move on to insulate more hotspots. We aim to complete one every two weeks!

Best wishes,

The Colobus Team

Re: Electrocution of Colobus Monkeys on your property

We are writing to ask for your personal support in our ongoing fight to protect the endangered Angolan Pied Colobus in Diani from extinction.

In the last 4 years The Colobus Trust has recorded over 60 confirmed deaths where the power lines that pass through the forest and your private property have killed arboreal primates instantly. Shockingly 46 of these cases were of the now highly endangered Angolan Colobus Monkeys. Our statistics confirm that electrocution from un-insulted power lines claims more Colobus monkey lives than any other threat, natural or man-made. The power lines also wound and severely maim many more primates when they come into contact with them, the results being flesh cooked and burnt to the bone, loss of limbs and more frequently infection, which leads to an agonising and slow death.

The data collected by The Colobus Trust has so far identified 17 “hotspots” where electrocutions most frequently occur. The total length of un-insulated power lines on the south coast runs into may hundreds of kilometres, however 4,888 meters of live cable have been identified as the most harmful. Working with Camps International and the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) the Colobus Trust has recently completed a pilot project at the hotspot surrounding Diani Marine and the Ali Barbour’s properties; after identifying and installing a unique and highly cost effective insulation system, all the previously un-insulated cables in this area have now been made 100% primate safe. This is a very significant result for the Colobus population in this area who can now live peacefully without the risk of a traumatic death.

Initial finances to jump-start this program were contributed by the Camps International Trust, with the work being completed by volunteers and KPLC engineers under the supervision of the Colobus Trust.

The electric cables on your property have been identified as one of these leading electrocution ‘hot spots’ and an area where recorded Colobus deaths through electrocution have happened. We are now requesting you as a responsible landowner to contribute to the cost of insulating these power lines to save these magnificent animals for generations to come. The alternative to not acting is possibly the end of the wild Colobus monkey on Kenya’s South Coast forever.

We believe that the material costs (Average Ksh 7,500 per plot) are minimal, in return for the absolute privilege of being able to view these rare and beautiful primate, living at peace and without threat of electrocution in your garden. There is also a unique satisfaction in knowing that your personal contribution will have a significant and immediate effect in conserving these beautiful Colobus monkeys. Your contribution will be used entirely for the materials to insulate your power lines, which will be 100% effective after a very quick installation.

There is indeed a strong argument from many quarters that this project should be funded by KPLC, however after many years of appealing NOTHING has happened, with the result being continued deaths by electrocution and a steady decline in the Colobus population. It is for this reason that we are now acting directly to effect change. Other than your contribution the provision of materials there will be no further charges, as The Colobus Trust, Camps International and KPLC will provide the workforce, tools and expertise to place the insulating conduits.

Your voluntary contribution to fund this highly effective project will be recognised through a joint program grading landowners & local stakeholders on their efforts in conservation. The Camps International Trust will also provide indigenous hard wood tree saplings FREE OF CHARGE that can be planted on your property to reduce habitat loss & increase the local forest cover. Your contribution and support for this very important program will be recognized online, through e-newsletters and throughout the international conservation community.

We believe that the only way forward to conserve the now highly endangered Angolan Colobus Monkey is to work together with responsible conservation-minded landowners; in this regard we are appealing for your much needed and valuable support. Representatives of the Colobus Trust, KPLC & Camps International will be contacting you shortly to arrange for a survey and to provide an accurate cost for the required insulation work to be completed.

Many thanks in advance for your cooperation,

Kindest regards,

From caring Diani residents…

Two and a half weeks ago we put out an appeal. The tyres on our sole vehicle were extremely worn down and we could not afford to buy new ones.

Thankfully a saviour came in the form of Camps International who donated four heavy duty tires from their office in Diani. We are extremely gratefully for this generous donation.

We have worked together for a number of years now and have recent made some serious progress on our joint insulation project. For more information on this please visit this blog. There are also many upcoming projects that we are doing in conjunction with Camps International so watch this space!

THANK YOU CAMPS INTERNATIONAL!

On the 9th of September 2008 the Colobus Trust and Camps International worked in collaboration with the Kenya Power and Lighting Company to insulate two of Diani’s Primate Electrocution Hotspots. Now, nearly 3 month later we are looking for the next step.

The pilot project has been a great success. Over 400 meters of cables were insulated and there are holding strong and showing no sign of deterioration after the burning sun and heavy rains they have experienced. There have also been no incidents of electrocution along them. Below is a picture.

Since completing the pilot project we have been in talks with KPLC. They pledged to cover the costs of insulating the hotspots in a meeting held in August and we have been waiting to see action on their part. It was at this meeting that they also stated that they could be left to deal with the insulation of the transformers we had identified within the “hotspots”. In the last month we have been reassured that KPLC are still going to live up to their promise. We have, however, been asked to wait for them to go through their length procurement process. The events that occurred the other day have, however, confirmed our decision to move on to insulating the rest of the hotspots and hope that the funding comes through at a later date.

The events that convinced us to take this risky step occurred in the evening of Monday the 1st of December. When the Colobus Trust Animal Rescue Unit received the first electrocution alerts it has had in the last 5 months. What was most shocking was that both incidents were on hotspots and that three cases happened within half an hour of each other.

The first case involved two members of the Leisure Lodge Hotel Colobus Troop. This troop has been decimated by one particular transformer, which in my 14 months has claimed four, but now possibly six, troop member’s lives. In my opinion the transformer is as badly placed as is humanly possible. It is located next to a tin roofed building (see below) at a perfect level to appear as a “step” up to the trees and is easily accessible. Sadly, we turned up to the hotel the staff had not followed our instructions and followed the injured monkeys so we could therefore locate the individuals and tell how badly the injuries were. The troop is now being followed and if injuries are bad enough to warrant capture we will act. Thankfully the Leisure Lodge management have pledged to help finance the insulation of the hotspot on their site.

The second case was a female Colobus who was found under the power lines at another of our hotspots in Diani. She was brought in to us whilst we were out on the first call. She had an open wound on her chin and her body temperature was way above 40°C. We treated her immediately and were surprised by her strength. The next day we prepared a cage with lots of branches and food for her but sadly she died during the course of the day. This is often the way electrocution cases go, as internal burns are hard to diagnose.

This sudden burst of electrocution cases confused many at the Trust. As it has become apparent, through our years of data collection, that primate electrocution cases are more common around the new-year period. The reasons for this are unproven, but it is my opinion that the increased amount of pedestrian traffic caused by Diani’s “peak season”, when tourists flock to Diani’ Hotels. Where nearly all of the remaining forest and hotspots are found. This increase in movement on the ground makes timid primates, something the Colobus is renowned for, less likely to come to the ground and they therefore choose pathways through trees, where they are more likely to come into contact with live electricity. This theory also explains why there was a noticeable “lull” in primate electrocutions in the aftermath of post-election violence, when all hotels were nearly, if not completely empty. Below is a map showing the un-insulated hotspots in red and the insulated ones in blue. Note how they are all in the coastal stretch, where the hotels are located.

The events of this week have served as a reminder, to all of us, that immediate action is needed to avoid the horrible suffering Diani’s primates, such as the one pictured below, are put through. The Colobus Trust and Camps International are pressing ahead with the project, without waiting for KPLC to fulfil their side of the deal (though we have been assured, that they will). We are sending out assessment teams to each of the properties within one of our hotspots on it. The teams will come up with an inspection report for each site, detailing the intended work and asking the landowner/proprietor to provide funding for the project.

We will keep you updated on all progress made.

Regards,

Gwili