This rare species of monkey, the African Blue Monkey or Diademed Monkey, has a bluish cast to its gray fur. It has has furry face and ears, with a nose, smaller than, but not unlike the proboscis monkey Henry and I saw in Bornero. The monkey is on the smaller size, 50-65 cm or 19-25 inches, with females weighing 4 kg/8 lbs, and males weighing around 8 kg/17 lbs. It is a species of the Old World Monkey, native to Central and East Africa. It ranges from the upper Congo River basin to the Great Rift Valley in the east. The African Blue monkey can also be found as far south as Zambia on the African continent. When on safari in Tanzania, Lake Manyara National Park was the last area we explored. Upon entering the park, guide told us that one of the animals found here is the African Blue Monkey, a rare monkey that we hoped to see. Needless to say, I was not only surprised, but quite thrilled to sight the first  of these creatures as Henry and I waited for Wilfred as he  registered us with the park authorities. It was obviously a lucky day, and the conditions in the forest were just right for these playful monkeys to swing from tree to tree. Their habitat is in canopied forest, where they are rarely seen on the ground. They required humid conditions and a water source, which is plentiful in Manyara National Park, as spring water seeps from the ground here. The monkeys are protected in the park, but are still shy, although they did venture near the roads and paths. Henry and I  found these monkeys to be difficult to photograph, as they move so quickly and spontaneously. However, some were captured by our cameras!

PHOTOS: Left Pair: African Blue Monkey, sitting on a park sign. Middle Pair:  The same monkey snacking on something tasty while sitting on some of Manyara National Park’s  structures. Right Pair: Two different monkeys climbing and swinging under the green canopy of trees indigenous to Manyara National Park.

JOURDAN ARPELLE-ZIEGLER                                        BACK TO MAP  PAGE