At times, when we are hard at work, it might be easy to forget that our offices are nestled right in the heart of Karura Forest. Fortunately, the monkeys are never far away and are always ready to remind us of that delightful fact.
Karura Forest is home to two fascinating species of monkeys. The first of these is the Sykes monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis), also referred to as the white-throated monkey or Samango monkey. This lively and curious species can be described as quite extroverted. Native to regions stretching from Ethiopia to South Africa, including parts of the south and east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sykes monkeys are easily recognisable due to the distinctive white patch on their throat and upper chest, as well as their grizzled cap.
Sykes monkeys are active, energetic, curious and highly social, living in large troops. They can often be spotted around the KFEET Centre, particularly in the morning hours. Their diet is widely varied, including young leaves, flowers, seeds, insects, bark, gum, fungi, and occasionally small vertebrates, they are true foragers at heart!
The second monkey species found in Karura Forest is the colobus monkey, a species with a particularly interesting history here. Originally residents of the forest many years ago, this species had completely disappeared. However, thanks to a translocation effort, some families were reintroduced to Karura Forest and have been thriving ever since. Unlike the Sykes monkeys, the colobus are highly arboreal, preferring the upper forest canopy. The colobus species subsists on plant matter including leaves, seeds, fruits and flowers.
The colobus are rarely seen by visitors to the forest, but thanks to camera traps and close monitoring by the Friends of Karura Forest Science and Research department, we know that they are doing well in the deeper, quieter parts of the forest. You can therefore imagine what a pleasant surprise it was for one of our KFEET team (Getrude) to recently spot a few amazing colobus monkeys jumping majestically from tree to tree just adjacent to the KFEET Centre! A rare and beautiful sight indeed.
So, as we get engrossed in our day-to-day tasks here at KFEET, we have frequent reminders that at the heart of the forest, it’s a monkeys’ world. We’re just lucky enough to be part of it! 🐒
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
The Karura Forest Environmental Education Trust — KFEET — was established in 2010 to promote environmental education and provide a centre for learning about forest ecosystems.
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