West Africa is home to a large proportion of the continent's primates. Sadly they are relatively unknown to all but a few. Twelve monkey species alone roam the forests and savannahs of Ghana, and many are quite accessible for viewing. With this sort of diversity you'd imagine Ghana to be a mecca for primate enthusiasts, but it is only recently that these distant relatives of ours have come to the attention of the traveller.

Primates are not unlike us: dexterity, social order, a keen memory and plenty of cunning all give rise to highly structured discipline. So, it is not surprising that just as we humans were able to extend our range and adapt to so many of this continent's different habitats, so too did other primates. From the dry steppes of the north and the eastern mountains, to the dense forests of central and south western Ghana, primates of all kinds have readily spread out.

In the savannahs and open country the fast and furious reign. While baboons combine strength with planning, green monkeys rely on agility and patas monkeys on lightning speed. Such primates evolved in open terrain, a dependable water supply being their main concern. But, for those who developed further south, in the forests and thick vegetation along the tropical rain belt, life was soon to take a nasty turn. Unwittingly, they had become dependant on a resource fast disappearing.

In the modern world, humans have little use for trees in their natural state. The fertile ground and moist conditions beneath, however, are perfect for instant agriculture. It is estimated that in this century alone over 80% of the forest along the Gulf of Guinea has been cleared. With such devastation of their habitat, our cousins of the trees could not adapt quickly enough and numbers began to dwindle. Some were sufficiently agile to avoid humans for a time. The slower moving of the primates like chimpanzees, on the other hand, declined more rapidly.

But monkeys don't give in easily. They have certain advantages over us, agility and speed being the most notable. They also like the same food as we do, to a large extent. So it was not surprising that as human agriculture proliferated, certain clever individuals saw potential. By and large, these were the guenons, although baboons and patas monkeys to the north were also in on the act. And who could blame them.

Guenons are a notorious lot. Though mainly forest monkeys, they are low-tier tree dwellers and are comfortable on the ground. With primate skills and a sudden explosion in plantations of maize, millet, groundnuts and all manner of fruiting trees, they had a field day. Imagine a pack of wild dogs, with the ability to climb trees: that's what the impoverished farmer was up against. There were no fences to keep them out, nor could anyone devise one that would. Moreover, monkeys had figured out our social structure long before we even knew they had one. A troop of baboons, for example, will study a farming community. They will consider human numbers and whereabouts and distinguish aggressive males from passive females. Highway robbery and guerrilla warfare thus became common place.

Jinn traps to protect crops are still in use throughout the country. Though this method will procure a good helping of bush meat for his family, it will hardly rid the farmer of the numerous troops of monkeys in his neighbourhood. Indeed, farmers are well aware that their crops are an allurement for such culinary delights as warthog, monkey and duiker.

The forest guenons had a further problem: retreat. Whereas their savannah relatives could out-run humans, escaping into a small pocket of forest was, in effect, falling into a trap. In some cases, such as the roloway monkey, populations are now reduced to all but a handful living wild. In Ghana today, five forest primates are listed as endangered species. Not that the local farmer or hungry poacher has any notion of such a list.

Reserves, which have developed slowly throughout Ghana in the last 50 years, lack the substantial financial rewards generated by tourism, as most curious westerners are drawn to East Africa and the 'Big Game' plains. This imbalance has serious side-affects for animals living within Ghanaian reserves where the Wildlife Department struggles to enact conservation and educate local villagers.

In the north, the stunning Mole Game Reserve is the leading resource in the country, with its magnificent antelope and wondrous herds of elephant. In the south, Kakum draws attention to itself with an awesome canopy rope walk. Other reserves, such as Digya National Park in the east, are so isolated they have not been fully explored even by scientists.

Nevertheless, one might imagine that all monkeys are protected by strict laws. Not so. Hunting for several species is allowed, except in the out-of-season month of November, or in reserves. Unfortunately, a carcass for sale will realise twice as much for the poacher as the fine he might get if caught. Hardly a satisfactory deterrent. And when a local policeman may actually purchase out-of-season bush meat from a poacher, it becomes apparent that laws are falling far short of the desired effect. Conservation confronts culture, head on!

Herein lies the greatest challenge facing Ghana's conservation programme: education. A recent response to this concern was the establishment in 1991 of the Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS), whose aim is to develop in the community an understanding of wildlife and awareness of the issues - youth clubs being a prime objective.

In the same year, Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Reserve was recognised. It is home to two species: the white-thighed colobus and Lowe's guenon, co-existing in an isolated pocket of transitional forest in the centre of Ghana. Though developed only recently, populations are extensive. So successful has it become that one could almost say the reserve has a population explosion on its hands.

East of Lake Volta, Tafi-Atome Monkey Reserve, with its population of mona monkeys, is another. Each has a similar, peculiar past. Like many villages in Ghana, ancient cultural mythology has created the existence of taboos against the hunting of certain, local species in which the souls of departed human ancestors are believed to reside. Boabeng, Fiema, Tafi and Atome are just such villages.

For some - like porcupines, certain reptiles, monkeys, antelope and even fish - this has been by far the best conservation strategy in Africa's history, for who would dare go against the will of their village elders and chiefs? On the other hand, the government's reach is still inconsequential. Perhaps there is something to be learned from this?

It was not without a sordid struggle that Tafi-Atome and Boabeng-Fiema became known to the outside world. As recently as the last decade, new age, religious factions strove to convert villagers from such antiquated ideology, by killing the monkeys and thus eradicating the myth. With the intervention of the government in 1991 the safety of these monkeys, at least, was secured. Now many travellers from across the world come to these sanctuaries and are visibly overwhelmed by the wonder of being in such close proximity with ancient relatives still living a perfectly natural existence.

Ghana's Primates

SAVANNAH MONKEYS: The baboon (Papio anubis) is the most successful family of all wild primates. They have a long muzzle and stocky build, together with equally proportioned legs. A threat to both farmers and travellers alike, their stronghold is often in high, rocky outcrops.

Green monkeys (Cercopithecus sabaeus) are small, agile and widespread. With many subspecies throughout Africa, they co-exist beside other savannah primates.

Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) have a long range and return to the same feeding locations every three or four days. They pose the greatest primate threat to farmers outside the forest belt because of their speed and stealth.

FOREST MONKEYS: The mangabey is more closely related to the baboon, however the Collared mangabey* (Cercocebus lunulatus) resides primarily in forest regions. This is a little-studied, endangered species of great concern to primatologists.

Guenons. These are forest gremlins, the long-tailed monkeys or cercopithecids, of which Ghana has about five species. They are low-tier tree dwellers, content to forage at ground level and move about territories on foot. This ability to adapt has meant that surviving in a shrinking habitat has been less tenuous than for others.

The Mona (Cercopithecus mona) and the Lowe's (Cercopithecus c. lowei) compose the main body of presence in Ghana. They are tough and, being nimble, can avoid trouble.

Of special interest in this group is the roloway* (Cercopithecus d. roloway), a subspecies of diana monkey. Like the collared mangabey, it is only found in the Ankasa forests. It is believed that there are more in captivity throughout Ghana than there are in the wild. Invariably captured as infants after the mother had been shot by poachers, they would be kept as pets.

COLOBUS MONKEYS: This group is spread throughout Asia and Africa. They are highly successful and skilled acrobats, even though they have no thumbs. A multiple digestive system enables them to consume a wide and varied diet.

The White-thighed colobus* (Colobus p. vellerosus) lives in the highest tiers and rarely descends to the forest floor. Thus, with the forest shrinking about them, they are unable to spread. They do not survive readily in captivity and there are only four zoo animals in the world (as of January 1998).

Red colobus (Colobus b. waldroni) monkeys are faring better, as they can range closer to ground. Colobus monkeys often co-exist with guenons, being neither in dietary nor habitual competition - as is the case in Boabeng-Fiema.

On the other hand, the Olive colobus* (Colobus verus) is the most threatened of all. Canopy primates are hard to spot and even more tiresome to track effectively.

CHIMPANZEE*: The largest wild primate in Ghana, and our closest relative. They live at slightly higher altitudes in the forested hills of the mid-west. Their problem is size and distribution rather than pestilent behaviour. With slower reproductive rates and longer nurturing in infancy than guenons and colobus monkeys, their populations are more at risk. Yes, chimps (Pan troglodytes) may soon disappear altogether from the area.

* Endangered species; IUCN Red List or other recognised bodies.

Monkey Viewing

You can hire a vehicle (very expensive) or use the local bus service. Follow the road north from Accra, through Kumasi in the central Ashanti Region.

Approximately 160km beyond is a town called Techiman. Here you should turn right down a dirt track for about an hour, until you come upon signs which may lead you to the village of Boabeng and the reserve. There are many confusing routes in, so it's best to ask the way from time to time.

A recent EU Micro Project saw the construction of very simple guest rooms with rudimentary service, such as local food - should you be so bold - and an oil lamp for light, as there is no electricity. A borehole and hand pump is also on site for water needs, though bottled drinking water should be brought.

Camping is at 2 pound per night, Guest rooms at 5 pounds , and there are so-called toilets. Monkey viewing is best done early morning or late afternoon. You are unlikely to encounter more than a couple of other travellers during your visit.

Monkeys: The Colobus will observe you from the tops of trees, never far away. The Lowe's will come up and steal your bananas, if you're not careful.

Tafi-Atome:

A comfortable three hours from Accra. Head east for Akosombo Dam and cross the bridge a mile south, into the Volta Region. Between Ho and Hohoe, and just before Kpandu there's a dirt track left, heading towards the lake. Within minutes you've arrived in a picturesque, rustic village setting. Stay the night if you like - the villagers would love to teach you how to cook Ghanaian style.

The small, hilltop hotel at Akosombo Dam is a marvellous stop-over for lunch or dinner. Monkey viewing all day.

Mona monkeys are close, curious but wary. Give them time. Patas monkeys are about, but better seen at Mole.

OTHER:

(In certain cases trekking is required)

Guaranteed Viewing:

Mole Game Reserve: Very bold baboon, Green monkey, Patas monkey; Shai Reserve: Distant baboon, ellusive Spot-nosed monkey; Kumasi Zoo: native chimpanzee, baboon, Patas monkey, Spot-nosed monkey, Mangabey (native); Accra Zoo: Diana Monkey, Mangabey (non-native).

Not Guaranteed Viewing:

Kakum National Park: Olive colobus (good luck!), White-thighed colobus, Lowe's guenon (soon to be caged at the entrance); Ankasa Reserve: Mona monkey, Spot-nosed monkey, Roloway monkey, mangabey; Bia Reserve: Red colobus, chimpanzee; Digya National Park: Patas monkey, Mona monkey, Spot-nosed monkey, Green monkey, baboon.

Published in Travel Africa Edition Seven: Spring 1999

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