Primate Expertise (PEx) is implementing a small project on Idjwi island entitled “Conserving the Schouteden’s blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis schoutedeni) through Research and Community Education on Idjwi Island, Democratic Republic of Congo”.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with a community based organization named “Initiative pour la Restauration et la Conservation des Forets d’Idjwi (IRCFI)”. Primate Expertise (PEx), is a non-profit organization created to promote conservation of non-human primates through education, research and outreach programs in DR Congo. It inspires a young generation of Congolese primatologists to take the leadership in research and conservation of non-human primates. Aligning with PEx’s mission, the ultimate goal of this project is to restore a viable population of the endangered endemic blue monkey subspecies (Cercopithecus mitis schoutedeni) in its natural habitat on Idjwi Island.
Thanks to IRCFI technical support, PEx aims to achieve three main objectives, included:
- Collect baseline information on the distribution of Cercopithecus mitis schoutedeni at Idjwi Island and assess the socio-economic status of the surrounding human communities;
- Establish a long-term monitoring program on Cercopithecus mitis schoutedeni and their natural habitat;
- Generate local conservation awareness through community education
