Roloway Monkeys

One of the 25 most endangered primates

Number left in the wild

200

Population decline over the past 30 years

80%

Number left in captivity

Roloway monkeys definitely stick out from the crowd: they are quite large, have a triangular face, black and white coat, a pointy beard and yellow thighs and bum. They’re an arboreal species, which means they live in trees, and they like undisturbed forests best. Unfortunately, their characteristics and preferred habitat is putting them at risk. As they are large and have a soft coat, Roloway monkeys are hunted for their meat and fur. Because they like very specific forests, they are struggling as their habitat is destroyed for logging and agriculture.

Long story short, they need our help. Our partners WAPCA (West African Primate Conservation Action) and primate experts at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. At the Cape Point reserve, the project covers monitoring and research of these little known primates, protecting them from poaching in the forest, educating local communities about forest conservation and sustainable agriculture and why it’s important to keep these amazing animals alive. There is also welfare work at Accra Zoo, helping improve facilities where primates are brought to them for rehabilitation and treatment.

Threats

Habitat destruction:

Roloway monkeys live in Ghana and Ivory Coast, which have lost a lot of their forests over the past decades. They are being destroyed for their hardwood trees, which are popular and expensive, and for agriculture, to grow things like cocoa and palm oil. Unfortunately, Roloway monkeys just can’t adapt to any other habitats, so the loss of their favourite forests is really affecting them.

Hunting:

Bushmeat is a major source of food for communities near where Roloway monkeys live. Because they are big, people target them for hunting. They are also hunted for their super-soft coats, which are worth a lot.

Working with

Roloway Monkeys

Our work with WAPCA

WildLife Foundation recently provided a grant to WAPCA (West African Primate Conservation Action), for a project in the Kwabwe forest in Ghana. They are undertaking field surveys that will be invaluable for conservation efforts of Roloway monkeys and other primates. They are also working hard to clamp down on poaching. Rangers from Yorkshire Wildlife Park will also be taking part in the project sometime soon, heading to Ghana to work alongside conservation experts.

Facts

In Ghana, the Roloway monkey is called “Efiai aighéhi” which means “the monkey with a white beard”.

The Roloway monkeys’ habitat is threatened by farming of products like cocoa and palm oil. We can help them by choosing products with sustainably grown ingredients.