Kenya Days Out: The Colobus Conservation Centre

The Colobus Conservation Centre is in Diani Beach, only a few kilometres from where we were staying. We all thought It would be a fine day out & so it proved.

 We all enjoyed an excellent introductory talk.

Peaches, explaining the wonders of a stick to a boy!

 Then it was time for our walk in the forest.

There's one!

 They are a little easier to see out 

of the evergreen forest!

Of course, Black-faced Vervet Monkeys

 were along the roadside!

 Samango Monkeys were also 
quite common here.

We all arrived at the centre. It is a little run down, money is obviously tight & we all were instructed on the need for this conservation work and about Black & White Colobus Monkeys in particular. The major problem is diminishing habitat. The coastal forest is been rapidly removed because of increasing coastal development. Everyone wants to live by the sea, both locals & tourists. With the increasing population, roads bisect the remaining forest & cut it into smaller & smaller blocks. The monkeys have to range further & further afield for food & many were killed crossing the roads. The conservation centre has constructed quite a few bridges for these rare primates to cross the busy roads safely. And it seems to be working. They also take in many orphaned babies & rear them to adulthood.

We all walked along the tiny trails & learnt a lot about this coastal forest and the increasing pressures it faces. 

The end of another day in Kenya.