Grant win leads to colobus conservation success

Colobus Monkey (c) Ontulili Primates Protection

It is incredibly exciting to see how a relatively small grant can have a tangible effect on conservation. Every year, Born Free and the Primate Society of Great Britain (PSGB), the UK’s society devoted to primate study, conservation and well-being, offer an annual £1,500 Conservation Grant to support national researchers from countries with threatened primates – the group of mammals which includes apes, monkeys and lemurs. In 2023, we awarded the grant to a community-based primate conservation organisation in Kenya.

Over the years, through the annual grant, Born Free has supported many early-career conservationists as they protect species including red-bellied guenon, white-thighed colobus, olive colobus, Barbary macaques, Preuss’ red colobus, western chimpanzees, the Caquetá Tití monkey, the spider monkey and now, most recently, black-and-white colobus monkeys.

The winner of the 2023 PSGB Conservation Grant was Camille Wekesa, from Ontulili Primates Protection (OPP). OPP helps people and primates to coexist without conflict, operating on a five-mile (eight kilometre) stretch of the 27-mile (43km) Ontulili river in Nanyuki, a town 124 miles (200km) from Nairobi, Kenya – a world-renowned conservation area and home to several world heritage sites. The goal of this project was to secure and restore the Ontulili River Riparian Corridor habitat, in the foothills of Mount Kenya, in order to protect Mount Kenya black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza kikuyuensis). The Ontulili river also supports other primates such as baboon and the Sykes’ monkey as well as various other wildlife: leopard, serval cat, bushbuck, antelope, a large variety of birdlife, hyena, hyrax and many other species.

With support from Born Free, OPP has had a massive impact for the conservation of black-and-white colobus monkeys and many other primates over the last year:

Community engagement

OPP organised two community awareness meetings to sensitise residents on the importance of conservation and educate on coexistence with primates. They covered topics including climate change, deforestation, climate-smart agriculture, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), and tree growing initiatives. These meetings were conducted collaboratively with local leaders, including district officers, chiefs, and stakeholders, to address critical environmental concerns. Through these engagements, community members were educated on the interconnectedness of these topics and their impact on the local ecosystem.

The success of these community awareness meetings was evident in the notable increase in community support for conservation initiatives. Residents demonstrated a growing commitment to safeguarding wildlife and their habitats, indicating the effectiveness of the education and engagement efforts undertaken during the meetings.

Purchase of tree seedlings

To help protect and restore Mount Kenya’s forest habitat, OPP established two tree nursery groups led by 24 women from the local community. OPP procured 3,000 indigenous tree species and conducted training on seed collection and nursery management. These seedlings were distributed among local farmers, four public schools and five churches.

OPP played a pivotal role in strategically planting these trees, identifying areas in need of restoration and replacing non-indigenous species with indigenous ones. This approach not only created a suitable habitat for primates but also contributed to the overall restoration of the ecosystem along the Ontulili River, including the stabilization of riverbanks. The outreach to schools also nurtured environmental awareness among the younger generation, instilling a sense of stewardship.

Trees in one of Ontulili Primates Protection’s nurseries (c) Ontulili Primates Protection

Ontulili Primates Protection Guardians Watering Trees in their Nursery (c) Ontulili Primates Protection

Art education programme

Working collaboratively with Orkedi Foundation, professional artists Caroline Mbirua, Esther Likali, Lida Valmé and lead artist Boniface Maina, OPP’s art programme provided a platform for creative exploration and expression, facilitating an innovative approach to conservation education, and bridging the gap between science and human emotion. The impact of the art education programme was profound, empowering students to become active participants in wildlife conservation through artistic expression. Through captivating paintings, sculptures, photographs, and interactive installations, students vividly depicted the beauty of nature, highlighting the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems and endangered species.

Art Education Programme (c) Ontulili Primates Protection

Conflict mitigation

Furthermore, the support from the Conservation Grant enabled OPP to operate a team of nine women – known as the OPP Guardians – who conducted weekly catchment monitoring patrols. The OPP Guardians, conducted the patrols in collaboration with rangers from the Kenya Wildlife Service and Mount Kenya Trust, aimed at monitoring the health of the local environment and identifying incidences of pollution, habitat destruction, and primate-human conflict and addressed them as fast as possible.

During these patrols, they gathered data on conflicts with primates and other wildlife, which they then documented in a database developed with the assistance of primatologist Dr Peter Njagi from the Institute of Primates Research Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Additionally, the Guardians collected feedback from the local community regarding primate and wildlife sightings, as well as any conflict issues. The weekly patrols enabled OPP to have continuous engagement with the local community.

Ontulili Primates Protection Guardians during their Weekly Patrols along the Ontulili Catchment (c) Ontulili Primates Protection

Next steps

To help local people develop sustainable sources of income, OPP is looking at procuring eight beehives to initiate the establishment of an apiary. OPP will continue to fundraise protective gear, a centrifugal machine, honey harvesting equipment, and to provide training for both the guardians and the community on beekeeping, honey harvesting, branding, and establishing market linkages. The supplementary income from honey harvesting will help to provide economic resilience to local communities, reducing pressures on natural resources and fostering good relationships between OPP and the community.

Furthermore, OPP is seeking funds to construct a tunnel bridge. The aim is to install the tunnel bridge in an area where the colobuses have attacked humans on several occasions. After installation, people will be able to go through the tunnel safely. Equally, the colobus will be able to pass over the tunnel without causing harm to humans. Both parties will benefit from the safe crossing, reducing the likelihood of human-primate conflicts occurring.

Find out more about the 2024 winner of the PSGB Conservation Grant