Born Free

There have been some major changes to the Primate Release Programme over the last few months. We have taken the very difficult decision to put all future releases on hold for the short term as the survival rate of our released monkeys has been lower than we would have hoped. For the next year we will be concentrating on assessing our protocols and undertaking an Ecological Survey of the Park. In short, this means collecting data on wild baboons and wild vervets, with special interest in what food species they eat, what types of trees they sleep in and the natural mortality rate.

This data will allow us to identify the most appropriate release sites to give the released monkeys the best chance of survival. You would think that everything there is to know about Baboons and Vervets has already been studied – but apparently not. There is almost no published data on either of these types of monkeys in Malawi or in the type of woodland they are living in here at Kasungu – Miombo woodland. This means that the data we are now collecting is not only vital to the future of the release programme but it is also new to science – exciting stuff!!

Over the coming months I will be sending you the antics of Shaky’s Baboon Troop and the yet to be located Vervet troop.

Shaky, self grooming while a friend keeps watch © LLWC

 Best wishes from the Malawian Bush!

Andrea and Keith xx