Zanzibar red colobuses (Piliocolobus kirkii) are one of the most endagered species of African primates. (Image credit: Tim R. B. Davenport) Endangered primates that are frequently killed by cars while trying to cross the road in a national park in Zanzibar have been given a lifeline after scientists put in speed bumps to slow down traffic. Zanzibar red colobuses ( Piliocolobus kirkii ) are small primates with a white coat, red back and black face. They are currently listed as an endangered species, with fewer than 6,000 mature individuals left in the wild, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of endangered species . The species is endemic to Unguja — the largest island in the Zanzibar archipelago in the Indian Ocean — and most individuals now live within Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park. However, despite being a protected species within a safeguarded area, these small primates are still under threat from humans, scientists report in a new study. Red colobuses are frequently hit by cars as they try to cross the main road through the park. In response, a group of scientists installed four speed bumps along the road. “After the road at Jozani […]
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