pool, zanzibar,sea

Zanzibar – wildlife

Zanzibar is not a place in Africa to come and visit if you are looking for the 'big 5', but there

Colobus, monkeyZoom
Colobus monkey
is is a decent amount of wildlife to be found on Zanzibar. The forest areas such as Jozani are home to the endemic Zanzibar Red Colobus. These primates are known locally as 'Kima Punju', which means 'poison monkey'. The nickname stems from local myths about evil poisons concocted with colobus ingredients; and the death of crops and trees is considered to be an indication that colobus monkeys have fed in the area.

Numbering only 1 500, these monkeys are endemic to Zanzibar Island, but a small population has been translocated to Pemba island. No large wild animals inhabit the island but small antelope and civets keep the colobus monkeys company.

Civet cats and snakes, monitor lizards, crabs, turtles, dik-dik (small antelope) and the hyrax which is actually the closest living species to the elephant but no larger than a rabbit!

Zanzibar also has a nice variety of bird life, including the Mangrove Kingfisher, Olive Sunbird, Herons Sparrows but I would not recommend Zanzibar as a destination if you are purely here to view birds.

The coral reefs that surround the East Coast are rich in marine diversity, and make Zanzibar an ideal location for snorkeling and scuba diving as the water is very warm with an average temperature of 20ºC and very calm. At low tide you are able to walk out to the reef in certain places.

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