Kabobo Wildlife Reserve, Democratic Republic of Congo, For the first time in history, footage of the elusive Foa’s red colobus monkey has been captured on camera. The video, filmed by Izaak Antoine Malengela of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), offers a rare glimpse of one of the most endangered primates in Africa.
The Foa’s red colobus (Piliocolobus foai) is an Old-World monkey once found across a relatively wide range in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, however, the Kabobo Wildlife Reserve may be the last place where the species survives in the wild.
Foa’s Red Colobus: Endangered Primate Facing Threats
Red colobus monkeys, in contrast to most other primates, usually live in large, noisy groups and are not instinctively shy of people. Such a temperament, along with their reliance on thick forests for living, has made them very susceptible to poaching and habitat loss.
According to the New England Primate Conservancy, the greatest threats to red colobus populations are:
- Poaching for the commercial bushmeat trade
- Deforestation caused by mining, logging, and agricultural expansion.
- The Foa’s red colobus is officially listed as Endangered, though the exact number of individuals remaining is unknown.
Saving Foa’s Red Colobus in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Thanks to ongoing protection by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), WCS, local partners, and surrounding communities, conservationists believe the monkeys are using much of the remaining habitat within Kabobo Wildlife Reserve.
The recent video confirms not only the species’ survival but also the importance of the ecosystem. You can observe the footage closely, It shows two red colobus monkeys with their distinctive reddish-orange hair tips, calmly perched in the treetops.
While Malengela’s hand-operated camera captured this amazing scene, the trail cameras are also being widely utilized for the same purpose, i.e. the recording of rare animals. The use of such devices has recently allowed to register other important events, like the birth of a baby beaver or the last remaining herd of buffalo in Thailand.
Why This Footage Matters
For conservationists, capturing the image of Foa’s red colobus and all other rare species is no longer just a visual record, but indicates that the implemented protection measures are effective and provides optimism about the revival of the species.
While the footage offers hope that conservation efforts can revive populations of endangered primates like the Foa’s red colobus, even in more developed regions the warming climate continues to threaten wildlife. For example, in Salt Lake City, extreme heat and drought are making life increasingly difficult for young birds, many of whom arrive at rehabilitation centers emaciated and dehydrated.