red colobus Uganda is one of Uganda’s thirteen primate species, living in the country’s tropical forests and offering outstanding wildlife watching opportunities. Red colobus monkey Uganda refers to the Ugandan red colobus (Piliocolobus tephrosceles), a Kibale forest specialist classified as Endangered and one of the most important species in the park’s primate community. The Ugandan red colobus is a leaf-eating monkey with a reddish-brown cap, grey body and long tail, and it is listed as Endangered. Kibale Forest National Park holds by far its largest population, so most of the world’s Ugandan red colobus live in one park. Visitors on Kibale chimp treks usually see noisy groups in the canopy, often numbering several dozen animals.

Red Colobus Monkey Uganda: Endangered Kibale Forest Species

Habits

Red colobus eat mainly young leaves, leaf buds and unripe fruit, digested with help from bacteria in a multi-chambered stomach. They live in large mixed groups of several males and many females, and they are noisy, with frequent calls and squabbles. Like other colobus, they have only a stump for a thumb, which helps them hook branches as they move through the canopy.

Chimpanzees and other threats

Chimpanzees hunt red colobus more than any other prey, and in some parts of Kibale hunting has reduced colobus numbers noticeably. Researchers have studied this predator and prey relationship for decades. Outside Kibale, the species survives in only a few small, scattered forests, where clearance and hunting by people are the main threats.

Where to see it

Kibale is the place, and red colobus are often seen on chimp treks from Kanyanchu and on the Bigodi swamp walk. The gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to Kibale Forest, Kibale animals, chimpanzee facts and the black-and-white colobus.

Frequently asked questions

Distribution and Status

The Ugandan red colobus is endemic to Uganda and adjacent parts of Tanzania, with the largest and best-studied population in Kibale National Park. It is present in Bwindi in very small numbers and in a few other forest areas. Kibale holds the most important red colobus population globally — the density of red colobus in Kibale (up to 580 individuals per square kilometre in the best habitat) is among the highest recorded for any primate. The species is Endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and its restricted range.

Behaviour and Ecology

Ugandan red colobus live in large groups of 20 to 80 animals, often the largest primate groups in Kibale. Like other colobus, they are leaf specialists with a multi-chambered fermentation stomach. They feed heavily on young leaves, stems, and seeds, and are often found in the same forest areas as chimpanzees — who prey on them. Chimpanzee hunting of red colobus is well-documented at Kibale, and the red colobus shows complex anti-predator responses to chimpanzee presence, including male coalitions that mob chimpanzees.

Conservation Status

The Ugandan red colobus is classified as Endangered by the IUCN. Kibale National Park is the primary stronghold, and the park’s protection is critical to the species’ survival. Habitat loss outside protected areas and occasional hunting present ongoing threats.

Viewing in Kibale

Red colobus groups are regularly encountered on Kibale National Park’s chimpanzee tracking walks and forest nature walks. Their large group size and habit of feeding in conspicuous canopy trees makes them easy to observe. The combination of rusty-red back, grey-white underparts, and tufted crown is distinctive.

Red Colobus: Predation by Chimpanzees

The predation of Ugandan red colobus by chimpanzees at Kibale National Park is one of the most extensively documented predator-prey interactions in any primate system. Studies by Richard Wrangham, John Mitani, and colleagues have shown that Kibale chimpanzees hunt red colobus cooperatively, with hunters surrounding and driving colobus groups while others wait in ambush. The hunts are socially significant — successful hunters share meat with coalition partners, reinforcing social bonds. Red colobus numbers in Kibale are estimated to have declined significantly in areas intensively used by large chimpanzee communities, demonstrating the real ecological impact of chimpanzee predation. Visitors on Kibale forest walks sometimes witness hunts — dramatic, loud, and chaotic events that transform the forest atmosphere in minutes.

The Ugandan red colobus is currently listed as Endangered by the IUCN, with the Kibale population being the focus of significant conservation attention. Studies have shown that hunting by chimpanzees has caused measurable population-level effects on red colobus numbers in areas of high chimpanzee activity. Outside national parks, red colobus is particularly vulnerable to bushmeat hunting because of its loud, conspicuous behaviour and large group size. Community forest conservation programs adjacent to Kibale aim to protect red colobus populations in forest corridors between the national park and surrounding community land — essential for maintaining genetic connectivity between forest patches.