Sultanate of Zanzibar fled into exile, and the Sultanate was replaced by the People's Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. In April 1964, this short-lived communist republic was united with Tanganyika to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which became known as Tanzania six months later. By 1964, the country was a constitutional monarchy ruled by Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah. Zanzibar had a population of around 230,000 natives, some of whom claimed Persian ancestry and were known locally as Shirazis. It also contained significant minorities in the 50,000 Arabs and 20,000 South Asians who were prominent in business and trade. The various
Wildlife of Zanzibar The 54 terrestrial mammals found in Zanzibar include 23 species of bats ("popo" in Swahili). Other species are: bush tailed mongoose (local name "chongwe"), which is found in the coral rag forests of the south-eastern coast of Unguja and in the deep soil region on the western part of Pemba Island; the small blue duiker; suni (mammalian) or dwarf antelope (just tall); African and small Indian civet; as well as green and hawks-billed turtles. The Zanzibar red colobus has been known to consume charcoal, possibly a learned behaviour, after eating the leaves of the Indian almond tree and "Mangifera indica"