The Primates of East Africa

Primates are a category of mammals that include				insects and flowers.The vervet monkey is light
humans, apes, lemurs and monkeys. Covering over				coloured with a black face; males have a pale blue
185 species, they range from lemurs -with hardly any				scrotum. This monkey weighs between 5 and 9kg.
resemblance to humans- to chimpanzees, which are				The vervet is adapted to practically all woodland
clearly our own kin. In size, they range from the tiny				habitats, outside equatorial rain forests. It does not
60 g bush baby to the huge 200 kg gorilla. Primates				venture very far from the safety of trees, on which
are characterized by a complex brain, good binocular				it also depends for food. You will commonly find it on
vision and means of grasping. In addition, they				forest edges and is typically associated with riverine
experience long periods in the womb, followed by				vegetation and acacia trees. These monkeys are
slow maturation and elongated lifespan.Africa has the				very friendly to people and almost serve as de facto
privilege of hosting 51 primate species in habitats				receptionists in most national parks.When a vertet
varying from forests to savannah woodlands. And				hops onto your car as you arrive at park gate, it is
new primate species are still being discovered. One of				looking after its own interests. Humans like to feed
the latest additions is the highland mangabey				monkeys and it hopes to save the lots of energy
monkey, whose domicile is the Udzungwa Mountains				and the risk involved in natural foraging in the bush.
of southern Tanzania.Scientists were delighted, but				However, it is illegal to feed monkeys or any wildlife
nevertheless puzzled when they reported the finding				in all parks in East Africa. Also be warned- these
in May 2005; "This exciting discovery demonstrates				monkeys can bite if scared. Their teeth and claws
once again how little we know about our closest				can inflict serious injuries and you should therefore
living relatives, the nonhuman primates. A large,				avoid close bodily contact.Vervet monkeys are
striking monkey in a country of considerable wildlife				omnivorous and consume a wide range of plant
research over the last century has been hidden right				materials like fruits, seeds, sap, and flowers. They
under our noses," said Russell Mittermeier of the				also feed on invertebrates and have sometimes
IUCN-The World Conservation Union's Species				balance the vegetarian fare with vertebrates such as
Survival Commission.Sensing our fascination with				lizards and nestling birds and their eggs. They are
nonhuman primates, artists have in response created				often found in the same areas as baboons with
fictional characters that have turned out to be				which they share many foods, water holes and
immensely popular. The most successful of this genre				sleeping trees. The baboon is however not good
is the story of "Tarzan of the Apes". This romance				company for vervets; it is without mercy for its
features an orphaned English lord who was adopted				smaller relative. When they compete for food,
by a female ape and brought up in the African jungle.				vervets are supplanted and baboons will occasionally
The writer Edgar Rice Burroughs brought Tarzan-one				feed on young vervets.Vervet monkeys are
of the best-known literary characters, to life in				territorial and live in troops of between 8-50
1921.Tarzan, an ape-man character has over the				members. Their troops are organized in a hierarchy of
years generated over 40 movies, and numerous				families whose members sleep, forage and rest
radio shows, television programmes and comic books.				together. Males move out as they reach maturity at
Primate characters reflect mans complex nature				about the age of 5 years, while females remain in a
more closely than other animal characters in fiction				female-bonded society. They pass on hereditary
and mythology. Come to think of it: in this respect,				privileges: a mother's rank predetermines that of the
the naughty tree-swinging monkey is more deserving				daughter.The baboon is the other very common
of our respect than haughty king lion.Non-human				primate in the savannahs of East Africa. It is a large,
primates are confined to the tropics, where 80% of				terrestrial monkey with a dog like head. Indeed its
them live in rain forests as the dominant mammals.				scientific name is, papio cynocephalus -here
East Africa has few patches of tropical forests				cynocephalus means "dog-headed." They weigh up to
where you find the great apes, but the entire region				50 kg, with males reaching up to twice the weight of
supports many other primate species. Only a few				females. Their limbs are sturdy, nearly equal in length
species are not dependent on trees and can survive				while hands and feet are short and wide with stubby
in savannah and sub desert areas. These include				digits. The females have very prominent sexual
baboons, vervet monkeys and chimpanzees. Not				swellings.Baboons in East Africa appear in two
surprisingly, travellers to east Africa are most likely to				common species - olive and yellow baboons. Next to
come across these three species.But most primates				humans, baboons are the best adapted of the
still depend on trees or cliffs for security. Only the				terrestrial primates. For this reason, they are the
two most intriguing primate species sleep on the				most widespread African primate- to be found from
ground-man and gorilla. We shall not discuss these				savannah to arid habitats, so long as there is water
two species in this article and shall cover them in				and trees or just cliffs. Most travellers will see
separate features. For now, we shall only able to look				baboons on the highways, in many places across the
at the four most common primates found in East				region. They live well enough outside protected
Africa; bush babies, monkeys, baboons and				areas, such as national parks. They are serious crop
chimpanzees.Primates have complex social				pests and are even classified as vermin -not wildlife-
organizations and the majority live in female-bonded				but in parts of Kenya.A baboons' menu include
groups. Scientists speculate that this works as an				grasses, flowers, fruits, seeds and shoots. In the dry
alliance against aggressive males. Females stay on in				season, they uproot grasses and feed on the
their natal group even after maturity, while males exit				underground stems, a niche they share with no other
the group. Feminist fundamentalists may perhaps				mammal except warthogs. Beware that baboons are
take a hint in this arrangement? Chimpanzees make				fierce fighters and with group work can confront and
an exception to this rule. Very much like humans,				scare off a sharp predator such as leopard. Because
female chimps seek an alliance with a male protector,				of their well-developed taste for fruits and other
which is recognised and respected by other males.A				foods humans are partial to, baboons tend to stalk
common feature among primates is evolution of the				visitors in national parks. In some cases they
"primate hand."This is a prehensile hand that is used				supplement their diet with vertebrate prey: fish,
for climbing and eating, and tool making in the case				lizards and young of ground nesting birds, and bird or
of apes. Some primates- especially baboons and				crocodile eggs.Baboons live in troops ranging from 8
apes, have such well-developed dexterity of the				to over 200 animals, but typically average about 40.
hand that the tips of the thumb and forefinger meet				Troops tend to avoid one another but may
at right angles. In apes, the dexterity of the hands is				occasionally share resources. Their social organization
very close that of humans -and chimps are a good				is highly complex and variable; they are able to display
example.Primates, just like humans, use social				emotion and can communicate motivation. Females
grooming as a form of contact communication.				remain in the troop, with a reproductive strategy
Travellers will witness this practice among baboons				grounded on male supremacy.The colobus monkey is
and vervet monkeys. Grooming is useful for social				another common primate that is the subject of many
bonding and is effected by use of the mouth and				parables in Africa. The black and white colobus are
hands. At a more practical level, it is also used to				especially priced for their beautiful coat, which has
clean the body of parasites, such as ticks. Grooming				traditionally been used as ceremonial attire. The
underlines hierarchies; a junior member of a group will				colobus is found only in Africa and has a long tail and
happily groom its betters.Reproduction in primates is				hairs. The body weight reaches up to 23 kg. Both the
quite varied, but there is much in common with				black and white species are well adapted and have
humans. Monkeys and apes, for example, actually do				inherited many kinds of forest woodlands throughout
menstruate. A key difference however, is that many				East Africa. They live up at the trees and rarely
primates have distinct breeding seasons. The young				descend to the ground. This rather shy animal is not
are dependent on the mother, but less so than				easily sighted in the open and you are more likely to
human infants. They enjoy the protection of a fur				see or hear them in thick woodlands and forested
coat and are able to climb and reach the mothers'				parks.The apes are a category of primates
teats and cling to her while being transported. Males				represented in Africa by gorilla, chimpanzees and
generally play a marginal role in parental care.Bush				bonobo. Genetically, they are the closest primates to
babies are a big group of primates, comprising about				man. The apes have very advanced social and
18 species found Africa, and of which 11 species live				communication systems. They come close to humans
in East Africa. This is one of the smallest but most				in the use of facial expressions and body language;
successful of the primates. There are two main				using both arms and hands. Apart from mother-infant
types: the lesser bush baby and the greater bush				contact, apes groom each other in the usual primate
baby. Both are widely distributed and found in the				fashion- rank determines who grooms whom.Apes
forested national parks of East Africa. During the				are particularly adept at tactile communications; that
day, they hide to avoid harm from eagles and large				is use of touch. They seek and give reassurance by
snakes.In lodges located close to dense forest, such				touching each other - just like we do -on the most
as Shimba Hills in Kenya, bush babies are at night				sensitive areas like hands, face and genitals. Apes are
attracted to the dining rooms by sugar and sugary				slow to mature, with the young reaching adolescence
products. They otherwise feed mainly on tree gum				at about the age of 8 years. Females bring
and insects. Their technique of catching insects is				forth their first fruits in their early teens, much
either by leaping and grabbing or by creeping to				earlier than males who rarely start procreating before
within grabbing distance. They have distinct vocal				reaching 15 years. All apes build nests- in this case, a
sounds and the name bush baby originated from the				platform on which to sleep securely at night: chimps
piercing baby-like cries or advertising calls of the				up the trees and gorillas on the ground.Generally all
greater bush baby. Adult males advertise the most,				the apes are endangered and vulnerable. The problem
especially in the mating season.Bush babies are easy				is that they occur naturally in very small densities and
to like-perhaps on account of their baby-like cries and				face immediate threat of habitat loss throughout
small innocent looking faces. They are active only				their ranges. The situation is further compounded by
after sundown. Extremely agile and sprightly, they				the fact that they perpetuate themselves at a rather
use their elongated hind limbs to execute spectacular				slow pace. The other risk is the bush meat trade that
leaps between trees. Distended finger and toe pads				goes on in some parts of Africa, which takes them
enable them to cling unerringly, leap after leap, to				out in large numbers every year. The situation
even the most slippery branches.The other small				deteriorated after the 1980's, when many previously
primates like bush babies are pottos. Being small and				inaccessible tracts of rainforest were opened up for
nocturnal, you will hardly ever see them. Only one				logging.Although apes are not known to eat humans,
species is found in East Africa -in south and west				there are reports of their killing human babies in
Uganda, far northwest Tanzania and western Kenya				western Uganda - especially in Bwindi and Kibale
in the Mount Elgon and Kakamega forests. Pottos				forests. This phenomenon is as yet unexplained and is
wear a woolly brown jacket and have large				very puzzling to primate researchersChimpanzees are
protuberant eyes, small rounded naked ears, short				large, hairy and tailless; females weigh between 30-40
muzzles and short stubby tails. They weigh between				kg, while males can reach 180 kg. They have big
0.8 - 1.6kg.Monkeys are a category of dog-shaped				heads, flattened face with a small nose and forward
primates. They stand and move horizontally on four				facing eyes. They have same number and type of
legs, with head directed forwards and downwards.				teeth as man. The chimp is indeed our closet living
Consequently, the form and movement is also				relative, sharing 98% of our genes and much of our
doglike, particularly for the more terrestrial ones like				behaviour. The chimp and mountain gorilla are the
baboons. Their bottoms are padded with bare "scars"				only great apes found naturally is East Africa. Seeing
that may appear like wounds. These are called				chimps in the wild is an exhilarating experience. And
callosities, and their colouration varies with the				Uganda is the best country in the world to view
reproductive season. The phenomenon is most				chimps in their natural habitat.In Uganda, you
prominent among baboons and is quite puzzling to				encounter chimps at Queen Elizabeth National Park
many travellers.There is a clear distinction in form and				and Kibale and Budingo forest. In Tanzania, you see
structure of the genders in monkeys. This is				them at Gombe National Park, to the north west of
especially so among baboons, in which females are				the country. Kenya has no naturally occurring chimps
clearly smaller in body size - by as much as 50%				population, but at Nanyuki in the central region, there
compared males. The posture and movement of				is a sanctuary for chimps rescued from the illegal
monkeys is often a reflection of their social status.				trade going on in parts of central and West
The confident monkey appears relaxed and walks				Africa.Chimps are mainly found in rainforest and wet
with its limbs extended and back level. It surveys its				savannah. They are less robustly built than gorillas;
realm casually and is at ease while resting. On the				their arms are shorter, reaching just below the knees
other hand, subordinates walk with back hunched,				and the hands and fingers are long with short
limbs rather bent and tail low or curved				thumbs. The feet are adapted for grasping, with long,
downwards.Dominant males are known to				stout opposable big toe. Chimpanzees feed mainly on
exaggerate their status by walking with a swagger				fruits mostly gathered from trees and the young
and squatting with obvious ostentation. This				leaves of plants. They also feed on flowers, pith, and
behaviour is the subject of many metaphors in				bark and also derive additional nutrients from insects
African folklore. Monkeys are generally social, though				and some meat too- young antelopes, goats, and
they exhibit occasional rivalry. When attempting to				other primates such as young baboons and colobus
intimidate a rival, a monkey stands at its tallest, with				monkeys.Chimps are articulate tool users- a clear sign
the effect that it looks bigger than it realy is-, which				of a hard working brain. They can pick up small
of course is precisely the point. "Filling yourself like a				objects between thumbs and side of the index
male monkey" is a common teenage statement in				finger. They possess the acumen to prepare and use
Africa, and originates from this practice.Many				grass stems and sticks to fish for insects. A female
travellers will have noticed that adult male monkeys				on heat may mate with several males. It gives birth
like exposing their genitals to impress or maybe				to a single off spring, which is independent after
intimidate other males. Baboons are especially				about 4 years.The chimps are individualistic and do
notorious for this rather unwholesome exhibitionist				not live in cohesive groups like gorillas or monkeys.
behaviour. Do not be offended when you find a				They live in communities, with up to 100 animals
dominant male, sitting apart on high vantage point,				sharing a common home range. But they never
facing away from the troop as he scans the				assemble in a single troop. Jane Goodall, in her book
surrounding with legs spread apart to expose the				"The Chimpanzees of Gombe", has shown that
penis. This is a particularly noticeable thing about				chimps, in common with humans, engage in some
baboons, or perhaps it is what humans cannot avoid				very disagreeable behaviour. Males occasionally rape
noticing- being so well trained to look down				females and engage in internecine warfare. Dr. Goodall
upon such immodest displays. Among the monkeys				has reported that from early 1974, a brutal four-year
species found in East Africa are the blue or syke				war raged in Gombe between two chimp groups that
monkey, the vervet monkey and the colobus				resulted in the decimation of one group.The best
monkey.Sykes are dark, stoutly built and have round				way to see the primates of East Africa is by taking
facial disk and no beard. They weigh up to 12kg, with				a combined Kenya and Uganda safari. On such as
males larger and heavier than females. The body is				safari, you will of course see the other wildlife East
covered by thick long fur with a brown patch of				Africa is famed for, but be sure that the locations
bristling hair. Sykes are quite widespread in East				where primates are found are covered. On safari,
Africa and can generally be sighted in all forested				wear light cottons and linen. But also pack some
national parks. But as they as not aware of park				warmer clothing, as the evenings and early mornings
boundaries, you will also see them in thick forests				can be quite chilly. Some rainwear is advisable
and forest reserves outside the parks. They are				between March and June and October and
however slowly being confined to national parks due				December. You should bring along a decent pair of
continuing degradation of protected forests. Sykes				sunglasses and a pair of binoculars.
mostly feed on fruits and leaves and occasionally

Mr Safaris

The Primates of East Africa

Writing A...