Photographic Maps of the Primates of Kenya and Tanzania:
A Tool for Identification and Conservation
The design and implementation of effective conservation measures for primates requires an efficient and accessible resource for the identification of species and subspecies. A total of 487 photographs (June 2010) on five on-line maps, called ‘Photographic Maps’ (or ‘PhotoMaps’), present the phenotypic characters for 15 species and 26 subspecies of primates at 82 sites in Kenya and Tanzania. The PhotoMaps provide a ‘living’ collection of photographs. More photographs will be uploaded as they become available. PhotoMaps are a practical tool for documenting and discussing primate diversity, taxonomy, biogeography, distribution and conservation status and, therefore, for developing and implementing actions for primate conservation. The use of photographs to document phenotypic characters will become increasingly important as the collection of specimens for hands-on assessments becomes ever more difficult.

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How to use the PhotoMaps
To access the PhotoMaps click on the name of the taxonomic group you want to view. You will find an overview of thumbnails of all photos on the PhotoMap. Click on ‘View Map’ to view the map with all the localities where photos were taken. Photos can be enlarged and viewed individually on a detailed map. When logged onto a Google account, you can leave comments with individual photos.

Screenshot of the ‘View Map’ of the ‘Colobinae PhotoMap’. The buttons at the top right activate either the ’Map’, ’Satellite’, or Terrain’ Google map. Click­ing on the photographs enlarges them and details appear, accompanied by the discussion section.

Who could make use of the PhotoMaps
PhotoMaps might be used by anyone interested in the biogeography, diversity, taxonomy, or conservation of the primates of Kenya and Tanzania. More specifically, PhotoMaps are useful to those who want to:

• identify primate species/subspecies;

• know which primate species/subspecies occur in which areas;

• obtain primate species/subspecies photos;

• describe variation within a species/subspecies, especially as it relates to geographic distribution.

Although photos cannot replace an adequate museum collection as a resource for assessing species variation, geotagged photos are a relatively fast, inexpensive, convenient, and unobtrusive means for detecting and assessing phenotypic variation within a species over large areas. PhotoMaps are a practical tool for documenting and discussing primate diversity, taxonomy, biogeography, distribution and conservation status and, therefore, for planning actions for primate conservation. We expect to expand the PhotoMap collection to include (1) other primate taxonomic groups, (2) greater geographic coverage, and (3) photos taken by others.

Additional species

Warthog PhotoMap	Hyrax PhotoMap