POPULATION AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF ENDANGERED ASHY RED COLOBUS IN UFIPA PLATEAU: UPDATES 10 YEARS AFTER FIRST REPORT

Abstract

For centuries, forests in Africa have been converted into farm lands and human settlements leading into habitat loss for forest dwelling mammals especially primates. Last century witnessed an extensive decline of primate populations worldwide mostly through habitat destruction. Here we present findings on the current population and conservation status of Ashy Red Colobus monkeys in Ufipa Plateau, southwestern Tanzania after ten years of first report. Using complete animal count and plotless visual assessment, we conducted surveys in each forest assessing for presence or absence of ashy red colobus in these forests and quality of their habitats. There was much disturbance in unprotected Mbuzi forest, reducing the once continuous forest into forest fragments and patches with no primates. In Mbizi, forest has been converted into commercial forest of exotic pine trees leaving remnants of natural forests as habitat for primates. A population size of 528 individual Ashy red Colobus were counted in Mbizi forest, indicating about 56% decline in population size, and mean group size of 26.4 indicate a 35% decline in 10 years. These findings highlight threats to Mbizi population and envisage local extinction of Mbuzi population and recommend for urgent conservation interventions in the area