| East Africa as a whole is one of the most | | | | colobus guereza. These beautiful primates live in |
| well-recognized safari destination for tourists | | | | most of the Ugandan forest, as well as river |
| looking to see a variety of wildlife that is rare and | | | | woodland. They dwell entirely in the trees, and are |
| exotic. What most tourists don't realize however | | | | L,heost's monkey is rarely visible because it |
| is what sets Uganda apart from other destinations | | | | usually dwells in dense secondary forest and |
| such as Tanzania and Kenya. | | | | undergrowth. It has a black face and |
| Thanks to its climate, Uganda has a colossal | | | | backward-facing white whiskers and usually carries |
| amount of rich and dense forest making it a | | | | its tail upright. If one is lucky, they can catch a |
| perfect home to species that are absent from | | | | L,hoest's monkey in kibale forest, Bwindi or |
| other parts of East Africa. Yet unlike similar | | | | Maramagambo forest with in Queen Elizabeth |
| forests in other parts of Africa, Uganda's forests | | | | national park. |
| are easily accessible for viewing forest wildlife, | | | | A large number of primates that live in Uganda's |
| especially primates! | | | | forest are never seen by tourists because they |
| Primates evolved Africa approximately 60 million | | | | sleep during the day and are only active at night. |
| years ago. The first primates were shrew-like | | | | These include the bush baby (galago) of which |
| animals that resemble the pottos and bush babies | | | | there five different species in Uganda- and the |
| of Uganda Today. These more primitive primates | | | | potto (Perodicticus Potto). Both species are |
| are known as prosimians and were the first | | | | norcturnal, although the shrill cry of the bushaby is |
| primates to exist in Africa. Monkeys did not | | | | distinctive sound easily distinguished by their black |
| evolve until 10 million years later at around 50 | | | | bodies and long white tufted tails and shaggy |
| million years while apes were not found in Africa | | | | white sides. They live in small groups and eat only |
| until 20 million years ago. One of the first known | | | | leaves. Their diet is so specialized; their stomachs |
| apes, proconsul, was discovered on Rusinga Island | | | | have different compartments to help them digest |
| in Lake Victoria. Apes are easy to distinguish from | | | | their leaves that they eat. |
| monkeys by their Lack of a trail. | | | | The black and white colobus aren't the only |
| Primate-inhabited forests are under threat in | | | | colobus in the forest, either. The red colobus, |
| Uganda, as they appear to be in other parts of | | | | piliocolobus badius, which live in large groups and |
| the world because of the increasing number of | | | | are highly sociable, are only found in areas |
| people all struggling to find placing to live. The | | | | surrounding Kibale National Park. They have tufted |
| number of species living in tropical forest is much | | | | red crowns and are often hunted by chimpanzees |
| higher than elsewhere, and a proportionately large | | | | as food. |
| number of species are finding it harder to survive. | | | | The blue monkey (Ceropithecus mitis) is the most |
| Monkeys and ape of the forests are among the | | | | widely dispersed forest guenon in East Africa. It is |
| worst affected, with nearly one in four monkey | | | | common in most Ugandan forest guenon in East |
| species worldwide being very close to extinction. | | | | Africa. It is common in most Ugandan forests |
| Forests have delicate ecosystems and many and | | | | except for Murchison falls and L. Mburo National |
| many primate species have evolved a specialized | | | | and often lives in Union with other forest |
| lifestyle, causing them to react poorly to sudden | | | | monkeys. Blue monkeys are not, in fact, blue but |
| changes in their environments such as loss of | | | | dark grey with white throat and chest, as well as |
| habitat and human encroachment. | | | | tufted grey hair on their foreheads. In the forest, |
| Uganda is home to over 300 mammals, primates | | | | the males make a distinctive "pyow" sound as a |
| being exceptionally well represented among them. | | | | territorial marker that can be heard from a far |
| With around 20 species of primates, both | | | | distance. |
| day-dwelling (diurnal) and night-dwelling (nocturnal), | | | | The red-tailed monkey, Cercopithecus ascinius, is |
| the variety and bounty of Uganda's primate | | | | also a forest guenon but its red. The red-tailed |
| population is unparalleled. The best Uganda | | | | monkey is also brownish with white whiskers and |
| primates are the great apes. Most rare is the | | | | has a heart shaped white patch on its nose. Red |
| mountain gorilla, Gorilla Beringei, which inhabits | | | | tailed monkeys are often found in Kibale forest, |
| Bwindi Impenetrable National park and Mgahinga | | | | Semliki, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi National Park, |
| National Park in Southwestern Uganda. Mountain | | | | as well as Budongo Forest and Mpanga Forest. |
| gorillas, one of three gorilla subspecies, are some | | | | Two other forest guenons are more infrequently |
| of the most endangered animals today -with an | | | | seen- Debrazza's monkey and (Cercopithecus |
| estimated total population of 750, mountain gorillas | | | | Neglectus)L,Hooest's monkey(Cercopithecus |
| are living on the brink of extinction. | | | | lheost). De Brazza's monkey is thickset and |
| Thousand of visitors travel to Bwindi every year | | | | shorter than the other guenons, with a white |
| to see the majestic mountain gorilla, helping the | | | | band across its brows and white moustache and |
| communities of Bwindi every year to see the | | | | beard. De brazza's is primarily a West. African |
| largest of all the primate species, with adult | | | | Species, but can be found near Mt. Elgon and |
| sometimes weighing over 200 kilos. | | | | Semliki National Parks. |
| Only slightly smaller is the chimpanzee, Pan | | | | L'Hoest's monkey is rarely visible because it |
| Troglodytes, which inhabit most of the western | | | | usually dwells in dense secondary forest and |
| forest of Uganda and can be seen at Kibaale | | | | undergrowth. It has a black face and |
| National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi forest site near | | | | backward-facing white whiskers and usually carries |
| Murchison falls National Park, as well as Ngamba | | | | its tail upright. If one is lucky, they can catch a |
| Island Chimpanzee sanctuary in Lake Victoria. | | | | L'Hoest's monkey in kibaale Forest, Bwindi or |
| Chimpanzees are extensively studied in the wild | | | | Mamagambo Forest within Queen Elizabeth |
| and in captivity and have been found to be closer | | | | National park. |
| to humans than any other creature as they share | | | | A large number of primate that live in Uganda's |
| over 98% of our DNA. Unlike Gorilla, who eat | | | | forests are never seen by tourists because they |
| mostly leaves; chimpanzees eat primarily fruit but | | | | sleep during the day and are only active at night. |
| have been witnessed hunting and killing the | | | | These include the bushbaby(Galago)- of which |
| colobus monkey for food. | | | | there are five different species in Uganda - and |
| What is less well-known is that Uganda is also full | | | | the Potto (Perodicticus Potto). Both species are |
| of monkeys. There are five different types, or | | | | nocturnal, although the shrill cry of the Bush baby |
| "genera", which include the colobus, the guenons, | | | | is distinctive sound of the African night. Both |
| the baboons, the Patas and the Mangbeys. Some | | | | Primates are more closely related to the more |
| of these monkeys are as widespread and easily | | | | primitive prosimians, like the lemurs of |
| seen as a domestic animal in others parts of the | | | | Madagascar. At Kibaale forest, there are guided |
| world. The vervet monkey, Cercopithecus | | | | night walks on which one can see these nocturnal |
| aethiops, a light gray guenon, is thought to be to | | | | primates. |
| be the most numerous monkey species in the | | | | As one can clearly see, Uganda is rich with |
| world and can be found every where in Uganda | | | | primates. Each primate species has its own quirks, |
| except the forest. Highly intelligent vervets have | | | | behaviors and each species can provide a |
| specialized calling systems distinguishing them | | | | primatologist with a lifetime's worth of study and |
| between aerial and Land predators. | | | | research material. The scientists that contribute to |
| Patas monkeys, or Erthrocebus patas, look quite | | | | the international primatological society each |
| similar to vervets and also are terrestrial primates. | | | | understand how vital their role is- better |
| The patas has a redish-brown coat, unlike the | | | | understanding of each primate species will enable |
| vervet grey coat, and is restricted to the month | | | | them to spread awareness and help ensure that |
| of Uganda, in kidepo and Murchison falls National | | | | primate's survival. The responsibility, however, |
| parks. Baboons, or Papio anubis, are heavy and | | | | doesn't lie with the Scientist alone. |
| terrestrial primates, and are easily recognized | | | | Wildlife parks and forest reserves have been |
| because of their size and their long, canine snout. | | | | created to enable their animal inhabitants to |
| Like the vervet, baboons are highly adaptable and | | | | survive and thrive while also serving to educate |
| have become the most widespread primate in | | | | the public - tourist and local communities alike |
| Africa. They too live in large, social groups and | | | | -about the wonder each species has to offer. |
| you will often see them feeding and grooming on | | | | These sites are set up initially to enable tourists to |
| the road side. The Olive baboon, the only type | | | | share in the experience, but these sites and |
| found in Uganda, can be found in all of the National | | | | rangers employed are all that stands between |
| parks except for the three mountainous Parks. | | | | some of these primates and extinction. And each |
| Probably the most viewable primate within the | | | | of them relies on visitors to maintain it's services |
| forest strata is the black and white colobus, | | | | to the wildlife communities. |