Abstract:
This research was carried out from August 1997 to September 1998 in the Kakum
National Park in the Central Region of Ghana. It was centred mainly on the feeding and
social behaviour of the common primates with empliasis on factors that are currently or
potentially threatening or enhancing their existence. The possibility of incorporating the
viewing of monkeys in the management of the p~k to attract tourists was also
investigated.
Five species of primates ,were seen, Mona monkey (Cercopithecus mOlla), Spotnosed
monkey (c. petaurista), Green monkey (c. aethiops), Black and White colobus
monkey (Colobus polykomos) and Olive Colobus (Procolobus versus). A sixth, the bush
baby (Galago sp) was not seen but identified by its nocturnal calls. C. mOllO, C.
Petaurista and P. versus were frequently seen but C. petaurista was the commonest. C.
mOllO, C. Petaurista and P. versus occupied the lower canopy while ColobltS polykomos
stayed in the highest canopies most of the time. C. aethiops stayed in the secondary
forests outside the park put run back into the park when they sensed danger. C. dialla
which had been declared endangered by the park authorities was never seen.
Three fruit trees, Musallga cecropioides, Pycllalltlllls allgolellsis and Raphia
llOokeri were the most popular sources of food for the monkeys and existed throughout
the forest. Apart from R. hookeri fruits which were available all year round all other
monkey fruit trees did not bear fruits during the dry season. All the primates encountered
ate from the trees found.
Cercopithecus /ilOilO, C. Pelartrista and Procolobus versus formed various
combinations of mixed species troops with C. petaurista being a member of the speciescombinations most times. The white crested hOl1lbill and the black and Maxwell's
duikers were found to associate with the monkeys during feeding. No natural predators 10
monkeys were found. The agility of the monkeys coupled wilh various lliarm-response
mechanisms seemed to prevent predators from getting close.
Poaching by the surrounding communities seemed to be a problem in the Kakum
National Park and this affected any initiation of monk;y viewing as a tourist attraction.
Viewing of monkeys as a viable tourist attraction may not be realised because Ihe
monkeys were seen to be afrai~ of humans probably because of the poaching menace.
Thus the tourism potentials were very low and depended on human (poaching)
influences. Cercopithecus /ilOilO, Cercopithecus pctourista and Procolobus versus could
be viewed or watched after hiding effectively during times that the monkeys were aclive.
More research needs to be done in the Kakum National Park especially on the
monkeys to add to the compilation of a comprehensive document on rainforest primates.
