Promoting the Conservation of Zanzibar Red Colobus Monkey (Piliocolobus kirkii) in Zanzibar, Tanzania

This project was implemented by Filemon Elisante with funding from The Rufford Foundation to protect the endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus kirkii) on Vundwe Island, Zanzibar, through conservation education and public awareness. The species is endemic to Zanzibar and lives in coral thicket forests that are often fragmented and largely outside protected areas, making it highly exposed to habitat loss from deforestation linked to shifting cultivation, pole cutting, firewood collection and charcoal making, alongside hunting for the pet trade and occasional poisoning linked to crop damage and local beliefs.

The project set out to assess the current population status and the main threats to its survival, then use targeted outreach with communities around Vundwe Island to build understanding and support for protecting the monkey and its habitats.