Primates of Kibale National Park

This Park is known as the primate capital of Africa and has the lushest ecosystem or the dream of primatologists; however, the one thing that stands out about it is the variety and richness of primate species. The park covers 795 km2, and the majority is forest. It takes almost 6-hours for a trip from the capital city of Uganda, Kampala. In your safari of Uganda, a visit to Kibale Park for chimp trekking or a primate walk will be the highlight of your trip. Here is some exciting information about Kibale National Park’s 13 monkeys, which you can encounter when doing a primate walk.

Their more common term is “bush babies,” which refers to their screams, and it is famous because it has the tiniest primates in Africa. They have huge eyes that help them see at night, a strong sense of audible range, and lengthy tails that enable them to create balance. The Demidoff Galago, like most primates, lives and sleeps in small groups of ten. Because they are nocturnal monkeys, you are likelier to see them on a night primate walk.

This tiny primate grows to be 14 inches long and weighs 1.8 to 3.5 pounds. Although it prefers thick tropical forests, it can also be found in altitude forests and close to rivers. A Potto baby is born in white or creamy color, but with time, they develop greyish, rusty, or brown coloring. A Potto’s eyes, like those of the Demi, doff Galago, are sufficiently large to improve night vision. In addition, it is an arboreal organism that spends much of its time in forests. Both hands are built to provide a firm enough grip to hold a branch for an extended time.

Kibale has roughly one thousand chimps, approximately eighty of them habituated. And we almost share 98.7 percent of their DNA, which is reflected in the laughter of chimps, embraces, and walking stance, similar to humans. Because of their capacity to use tools such as leaves as umbrellas, chimps have been hailed as the most intelligent animals. Since rainforests and forest-savanna are their native habitats, Kibale boasts a significant population of chimpanzees that you should not miss seeing.

It is also referred to as the red-tailed guenon, the spot-nosed monkey, and the black-cheeked-white-nosed monkey. Although the designations are explanatory, you may learn more about the red-tailed monkey from its scientific name. They use their enormous cheek pods to carry as much food as a stomach to deter other primates from snatching their food. However, they consume plants, stems, flowers, bugs, tree gums, and fruit.

Colobus refers to the almost disappearing thumb on all primates, meaning “mutilated.” The Black & White Colobus Monkey gets its name because it initially has white fur and a dullard but eventually develops an entirely black skin with a white back, beard, and shoulder. These gorgeous primates are in abundance in Kibale.

The alternative name for the grey-cheeked mangabey is the white-cheeked mangabey. It resembles a maned, furry baboon with a mane across its neck in overall look. The mangabey in Uganda can trek in Kibale National Park and Semiliki National Park. The grey-cheeked mangabey is now being habituated to improve visitors’ familiarity with these beautiful primates.

Their tails will help them stay balanced as they jump from one tree to the other tree. They have a face that is between black and grey, and they have a rust-red bonnet; these are some characteristics of an Uganda Red Colobus monkey. They are Folivores, which means they eat mostly leaves and, when available, fruits and small invertebrates. The Uganda Red Colobus population in Kibale National Park is the greatest in East Africa.

Patas Monkey is sometimes known as a military Monkey. It is the fastest primate, capable of running at 35mph. Patas Monkeys are most likely to be found in locations with limited cover. When the Patas monkey is out in the open, it may simply use its 35 mph velocity to run in the case of danger. In contrast to other monkey communities, Patas monkeys are led by females who protect the group. At the same time, males procreate and sporadically warn of danger.

Formerly assumed to be a subspecies of the Grey-cheeked Mangabey, it was recognized as a separate class limited to Uganda in 2007. It is similar to the Grey-cheeked mangabey, but these are smaller.

They have a conspicuous white beard, dark grey fur covering most of their body, and a saddle-shaped pattern on their backside. The L’Hoest monkey is said to be the most land-based monkey. They have a big cheek pouch similar to red-tailed monkeys, which they use to keep the fruit, leaf, and stems they have gathered. L’Hoest Monkeys can be found in Kibale National Park’s dense underbrush since they love to reside in impenetrable forests.

The colors that identify it as a vervet monkey are green, olive, or silver-grey. The tail tip, feet, ear, and face are black on the other side. Kibale Park is an excellent place for these to live because of the dense jungle. The Kibale Forest is the perfect habitat for vervet monkeys since they love to hang out in trees where they can relax, eat, and move around infrequently. Like many primates, Vervet monkeys enjoy preening as a pastime. They groom one another to remove parasites, with the dominant male Vervet monkeys getting the most attention. They are a sight, and a safari to Kibale National Park should include seeing them.

They are the only kind of baboon found in Uganda; thus, seeing them while touring Kibale National Reserve is a must. You might observe them living in big groups from the road as you travel towards the park. Their canine-like heads and long, terrifying fangs give them a hideous appearance. It is highly improbable that you won’t see or picture them while at Kibale Nature Reserve.

Guenon monkeys come in 20 species, three of which are seen in Uganda. There are blue primates among them. The color is referenced in the name. They have a white area of fur on their breast, and their throat is white. They live in communities of 4 to 12 monkeys each. If you visit on a primate walk in Kibale National Park, you will see blue monkeys as one of the primates on your primate checklist.