Most of Zanzibar’s
indigenous forests have been lost to agriculture or construction,
but the Jozani Forest in the centre of Zanzibar has been declared
a protected reserve. It covers 44 sq km, roughly 3% of the whole island.
It is 24 km southeast of Stone Town - an easy stop-off en route to
the east coast beaches.
The reserve contains a large mangrove swamp and a tract of natural
forest that is home to a few unique species including the red colobus
monkey, Sykes monkey, bush babies, duikers, hyraxes, over 50 species
of butterfly and 40 species of birds. It’s also rumoured to
be the stomping ground of the rare Zanzibar leopard - so rare in fact
that few people have claimed to have seen it, and the last sighting
was several years ago.
The reserve is completely managed by the local people who operate
tree nurseries and act as rangers and guides. From the visitors' centre
on the main road to the south, there’s a 45-minute nature trail
accompanied by a knowledgeable guide into the beautiful and
very peaceful forest.
There’s good opportunity to spot the red colobus monkey, many
of which habitat the trees around the visitor’s centre. It is a highly
endangered species and is only found here in Zanzibar’s Jozani
Forest.
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