The Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary is one of Ghana’s most famous wildlife and cultural conservation sites. Located between the twin communities of Boabeng and Fiema in the Bono East Region, the sanctuary is renowned for its unique relationship between humans and monkeys.
## Origins and Traditional Beliefs
According to local folklore, around the 1840s a hunter from Boabeng encountered a spiritual deity known as **Daworo**. During this encounter, he saw monkeys gathered around a sacred object and was instructed by the deity to treat the monkeys as relatives. The villagers came to believe that the monkeys were children or messengers of the local gods and therefore sacred.
A similar tradition developed in nearby Fiema, where another deity called **Abodwo** was associated with the monkeys. As a result, the people of both communities protected the animals and prohibited anyone from harming them. When a monkey dies, it is buried with funeral rites similar to those given to humans, and a special monkey cemetery exists within the sanctuary.
## Establishment of the Sanctuary
Although the traditional protection dates back more than 150 years, the sanctuary was formally established in the mid-1970s. In 1974–1975, the communities worked with Ghana’s wildlife authorities to create legal protections for the forest and its monkey populations through local by-laws. This made Boabeng-Fiema one of the first examples in Ghana where traditional conservation practices received formal government support.
## Wildlife and Conservation
The sanctuary covers approximately 4.4–4.5 square kilometres of semi-deciduous forest and is home to two main monkey species:
* Campbell’s Mona Monkey
* Geoffroy’s Pied Colobus
Today, hundreds of monkeys live freely within the forest and surrounding villages, making the sanctuary one of the best places in West Africa to observe these species up close.
## Significance
Boabeng-Fiema is widely regarded as a successful example of community-based conservation. The sanctuary demonstrates how indigenous beliefs and traditions can help protect wildlife and forests over many generations. It has become one of Ghana’s leading ecotourism attractions, drawing visitors from around the world.
**Location:** Approximately 22 km from Nkoranza in the Bono East Region of Ghana.
**Interesting fact:** The sanctuary is one of the few places in the world where monkeys roam freely through villages and are treated as members of the community rather than wild animals.
