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Kenya Wildlife Service on Thursday, 14th December 2023, joined several conservation partners for a tree-planting drive at the Kenya Institute of Primate Research (KIPRE) at Oloolua Forest, Ngong’, to mark World Monkey Day. Among these partners were WWF-Kenya, Nema, Nature Kenya and National Museums of Kenya.
Speaking at the event, KWS Director - Wildlife and Community Service, Prof. Charles Musyoki stated that KWS is committed to ensuring that primate species recovery strategies are formulated to champion effective primate conservation and management, to curb the current threat to 50% of Kenya’s primate biodiversity.
Acknowledging the immense contribution of monkeys to forest regeneration and drive to biological studies which inform conservation of other species ecology, Prof. Musyoki emphasized the need for collaboration among primate conservation institutions to promote awareness on unsustainable extraction of forest resources. “Primates face higher extinction risks than any other species globally, and this is attributed to habitat loss, climate change and unsustainable extraction of forest resources by an ever-growing human population,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, KIPRE Head of Conservation Biology Department Dr. Stan Kivai stated that primates such as monkeys play a key role in human health through their contribution to scientific research. As close relatives to humans, their genetic similarities make them valuable subjects for studying various diseases and testing medical treatments.
As such, insights gained from monkey studies have led to advancements in our understanding of infectious diseases and drug development. In his ending statement Dr. Stan called for the need to promote community sensitization education, to raise awareness on the important role of primates in our environment to reduce hunting of primates for game meat and skin for traditional costumes.
