Sun-tailed monkey  (Cercopithecus solatus)

This monkey has a restricted range and is therefore highly at risk from habitat loss and fragmentation (1). While the area of Lope is relatively well protected, the Foret des Abeilles has been opened up to timber exploitation (5). As the forests become accessible for logging, the wildlife becomes more susceptible to hunting by locals for meat. In addition, the sun-tailed monkey is semi-terrestrial and so is at risk from being trapped in ground snares (5).

The Gabonese government declared the sun-tailed monkey as a fully protected species in 1994 (5), and it is now considered a flagship species for conservation in Gabon (2). The future of this species rests with its protection within its range, and of its habitat. It will be important to determine this primate's distribution more precisely, and monitor the planned logging operation in the Foret des Abeilles and Lope closely (5).