Why is it in the News?

The Red colobus, a rare group of imperilled monkeys spread across Africa, is the primary indicator of biodiversity decline in the continent’s tropical forests.

What is Red Colobus?

• Red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus spp.), a rare and imperilled group of primates endemic to Africa, serve as crucial indicators of the continent's biodiversity.
• They are part of the broader colobine family, which predominantly consists of leaf-eating species, distinguishing them from the omnivorous cercopithecines.
• Alongside Africa's red colobus monkeys, the colobine group also encompasses langurs found in South and Southeast Asia.
• These distinctive primates are distributed across diverse habitats, ranging from the forests of Senegal to the Zanzibar Archipelago.
  • Despite their ecological significance, red colobus monkeys face a dire threat of extinction, with more than half of the known 18 distinct forms listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
• Their survival is imperilled by various factors, primarily driven by human activities.
• Hunting for both trade and local consumption poses a significant threat, as does the relentless encroachment on their habitats.
  • Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation result from activities such as logging, mining, charcoal production, and the conversion of forests into agricultural lands.
  • These threats collectively endanger the existence of red colobus monkeys, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to safeguard their future.

Conservation of Red Colobus Monkeys:

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group and the African Primatological Society have come together to initiate the Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan.
  • This collaborative effort focuses on making red colobus monkeys a priority target in conservation, ultimately contributing to the preservation of Africa's tropical forests and addressing unsustainable hunting practices.
• To effectively implement the action plan, a Red Colobus Working Group (RCWG) has been established.
  • This group will provide guidance and ensure that the plan's objectives are met. Additionally, a Red Colobus Conservation Network (RCCN) has been created to promote communication, capacity-building, and monitoring of the conservation efforts for red colobus monkeys.
• Through this joint venture, the IUCN and the African Primatological Society aim to secure the future of red colobus monkeys while safeguarding the ecosystems they inhabit.