Our little excursion, continued..........
On our way to see the monkey sanctuary, driving approximately 70 kilometers north of the city of Ho and through some of the beautiful mountainous Volta region of Ghana, we made a couple of fun discoveries along the way.
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| This is a newly rented building used as a meetinghouse for the members of the LDS Church in the Kpando district. | Four missionaries serve in Kpando -- two are from the States and two are African. They are terrific young men! |
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| A quick stop at the market to buy bananas for the monkeys. They can't be too ripe, can't be too green. Sounds like home! | At the end of Tafi Atome village is the "sacred" forest where over 500 monkeys are protected by the local villagers. |
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| The Mona monkeys migrate with human beings because they know there will be fertile ground and drinking water. | Hold a banana tight in your fist so the monkey has to stay on your arm for a minute to get all the fruit. |
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| It's a surprise when they suddenly jump out of the trees onto your shoulder or back to fetch the treat. | Our guide told us to make a loud "kissing" sound to attract these cute little monkeys. Their life span is around 40 years. |
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| This fine specimen is named the "Commando." He protects his family (there can be up to 200 in a clan), searches for food, tests it, eats the best and most, then lets his family eat. | "True" Mona monkeys have a white spot on either side of their tail. They have sharp teeth and claws, but are careful with people. We loved getting acquainted with them. |
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| Our gentle guide, Vincent, was very knowledgable and helpful. He hopes to earn enough money to go to school soon. Donations to see the monkeys help sustain the local medical clinic and library and aid the villagers in preserving the monkey sanctuary. |
