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Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary is a traditional 
For the past two centuries, the monkeys are found living in the tropical forest around the small village of Tafi-Atome and have been sacred because it was believed they were messengers from the gods. In 1996, the village began broader efforts to protect their forest and monkeys, as well as to offer tours for visitors. The
In November 2020, an upgrade which included a new tourist reception area, a modern seven-seater washroom, three pavilions for visitors, a fence of wire mesh and bamboo around the site, painting of the edifices and structures, a car park and paved grounds was commissioned.
Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary is a traditional sacred grove
Sacred groves or sacred woods are groves of trees and have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. They were important features of the mythological landscape and ...
conservation established in 1993 under the direction of a Peace Corps volunteer as a community-based ecotourism project. Tafi Atome is the home of mona and patas
The common patas monkey (''Erythrocebus patas''), also known as the wadi monkey or hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa.
Taxonomy
There is some confusion surrounding ...
monkeys.
Location
Thesanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
is located about 230 kilometers Northeast of the capital Accra
Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
and 43 kilometers south
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
of Hohoe
Hohoe Municipal is one of the 25 administrative districts of the Volta Region of Ghana. It was carved out of the former Kpando District. It was established by the Legislative Instrument (L.I. 2072) of 2012. The Municipality has a total land ar ...
in the Volta region of Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
.
History
For the past two centuries, the monkeys are found living in the tropical forest around the small village of Tafi-Atome and have been sacred because it was believed they were messengers from the gods. In 1996, the village began broader efforts to protect their forest and monkeys, as well as to offer tours for visitors. The sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
was created by a coalition of villagers, public institutions and NGO. As a result of these efforts, the monkey population has increased, and the forest with its many species of birds and butterflies has been preserved.
Upgrade of facilities
In November 2020, an upgrade which included a new tourist reception area, a modern seven-seater washroom, three pavilions for visitors, a fence of wire mesh and bamboo around the site, painting of the edifices and structures, a car park and paved grounds was commissioned.
Conservation tools
Mention the conservation tools or approaches that have been used or developed to support the sacred natural sites. This can be tools or methods used for inventory or monitoring of plants and animals or for developing community capacity and strengthening of cultural values of the site and its people. The use of planning tools and guidelines should also be mentioned, for example the IUCN UNESCO Sacred Natural Site Guidelines for Protected Area Manager by Wild and McLeod.References