This type of monkeys is known as the colobus guereza. These are like any other monkeys; they have small heads and long limbs but have long white tails, white cheeks and around the neck areas distinguishing them from the others. These beautiful monkeys which are worth seeing on your Safari in Uganda are not really the endangered type but their number is controlled by human activities such as the destruction of forests which are their homes and also hunting habits, not for meat really but rather for their skins that they use as drum head skins. The threat on their lives is as result of the fact that they are not exactly legally protected by any law.
How they live and feed
The White and Black Colobus Monkeys live in groups which may be small or big and they are called troops. The size of the troop, the food abundance and the strength of the neighboring troop determine the size of any troop’s home.
They are more like ruminants because they spend most of the day time inactive or just sleeping. They leave their sleeping spots in the trees in the morning after the sunrise and climb up to the canopy to sunbathe. They travel to their feeding trees before it gets hot to feed and once it gets hot, then it’s time for them to rest until late in the evening when the sun is a bit down so that they can feed again. Normally, they take about 1 hour feeding in the evening before they can return to their sleeping posts. They feed on fruits, fresh leaves, small insects, tree buds, meanwhile their predators include animals like the leopards, the chimps too, humans and also the crowned hawk-eagles, among others.
How they protect themselves and communicate
The commonest is jumping around the tree branches, an action often done by the dominant male to express his dominancy and strength. This sometimes goes along with roaring.
Roaring, is done by only the dominant male more so during the morning hours. Its roar sound like a rolling “R” in a low resonant sound but can easily be heard a mile away. They often roar to announce their presence or when they sense a threat and have to warn the others.
Soft grunting is a signal they use when communicating amongst members of a troop that is in proximity. They often use this signal to warn about a predator that is close by.
Squealing is done by the adult females as well as the young ones when they are really distress.
Snorting is an explosive sound that all adults emit when they are alarmed. This is often followed by the dominant male roar.
Snuffling is that sound the females and little ones emit especially when there is an intra-troop conflict for instance when a female pushes away a baby monkey which wants to nurse. It may also be just an aggressive interaction happening between females and males. There are many way they communicate with each other and that is how they manage to survive in the jungle.
How and when they reproduce
The White and Black Colobus Monkeys usually give birth during the wet season after carrying their little one for 6 months. A newly born is usually all white except around the face where it’s often pink and stay that way until they turn 14 or 17 weeks when they turn white and black. From the time the little ones are born, they stay in the care of the females carrying them around until when they are about 8 months old although they capable of walk by that time they are 5 weeks. They can play and explore all places by themselves by 4 months and only need to be carried when all of them as a troop have to travel.
Once they get to 23 or 25 weeks, the mothers start ignoring their little ones which is why other females in the group chip-in.
Where to find the white and black colobus in Uganda
There two types of the white and black colobus monkeys and in Uganda, the eastern black and white colobus are the commonest type while the Angolan black and white colobus monkey is very common in Rwanda’s Nyumgwe forest .In Uganda, you will find these monkeys in places flooded with primates species Kibale national park. There are plenty of them in Kaniyo-Pibidi forest close to Murchison and a forest walk in the forest give you a better chance of see them.
They are also found in the Ituri forest in Semliki national park, in Mgahinga, IN Bwindi forest, in the Kyambura gorges and different other places in different parts of Uganda. A Uganda primate safari is a great opportunity for anyone to see the white and black colobus monkeys in plenty together with other primates and other attractions.
