The colobus monkey | Facts & Information

# The Colobus Monkey | Facts & Information

The Colobus Monkey | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About The Colobus Monkey

The colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) belongs to the family Cercopithecidae, order Primates. It is an arboreal monkey that lives in the savannas and forests of Africa near the water.

The Colobus Monkey

The Colobus monkey is a fascinating species of monkey found in various parts of Africa. This species belongs to the family Cercopithecidae and the order Primates. The scientific name of the Colobus monkey is Colobus spp., where "spp." stands for "species".

The Colobus monkey is characterized by a distinctive appearance. It has a slender and long body, with the limbs, especially the hind limbs, longer than the trunk. The fur is dense and usually glossy black, and different species have white patches or stripes on various parts of the body, such as the face, neck, back, or tail. Additionally, the faces of these monkeys are marked with white tufts, giving them a characteristic look.

The natural habitat of the Colobus monkey varies depending on the species, and they can be found in tropical and subtropical forests, especially in mountainous and coastal areas of Africa. They prefer to live in dense forests as they feel safe in the midst of thick vegetation, and they are skilled jumpers. They can also adapt to disturbed environments, such as urban parks and gardens.

One of the remarkable characteristics of the Colobus monkey is its diet. These monkeys are herbivores and mainly feed on leaves and fruits, as well as other available plant materials in their natural environment. Their stomach has evolved to break down plant fibers and extract the necessary nutrients. They spend a significant amount of time feeding and actively move through trees in search of food.

The social behavior of the Colobus monkey is also impressive. They live in large groups known as troops. Troops can consist of 10 to 50 individuals and are led by a dominant male. Colobus monkeys are social animals and engage in complex communication behaviors, such as specific sounds and facial expressions, to express their emotional state or convey important information for the group's survival.

The reproduction of the Colobus monkey takes place in an intriguing manner. Most species have a short gestation period of about six months. At birth, Colobus babies have a full coat of fur, and at one month old, they start exploring their environment. Females are responsible for caring for the infant, while males take on the role of protecting the group.

Although the Colobus monkey is adapted to life in its natural environment, it faces certain threats. Habitat loss due to deforestation and the destruction of their natural environment for urban development and agriculture are some of the major threats these monkeys face. Additionally, hunting and animal trafficking pose a significant threat to their survival.

In conclusion, the Colobus monkey is an interesting and complex species with many unique characteristics and behaviors. These monkeys are an important part of African ecosystems, and protecting their natural habitat and raising awareness among people about their importance are key to their survival in the wild.

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Origin

It can be found in Eastern countries: Ethiopia, Nigeria Cameroon, Uganda or Tanzania. It is found at altitudes up to 3000 meters.

It can be found both in our literature and abroad under the names: guereza with Cloak, the guereza, the mantled guereza, the eastern black-and-white colobus or the Abyssinian black-and-white colobus.

It is called the most beautiful monkey because of its unique appearance. The white cape that is displayed on the back and the tail that has a white finish made many appreciate them rightly.

It was first discovered by German naturalist and explorer Eduard Ruppell in 1834.

Unfortunately it's bruising for meat. And as if it were not enough the forests in which he lives are cut down for economic reasons or because of infrastructure. Their habitat is constantly being degraded.

Feeding The Colobus Monkey

The colobus monkey's food consists of fruits, buds and leaves. They are herbivorous animals. Unlike other monkeys they have tricameral stomachs. They also feed on seeds or various arthropods.

Appearance Colobus Monkey

The colobus monkey is also called the black and white monkey because of its coat color. The hair covering her body is black and white. The face of black color is surrounded by a ring of white color.

Part of the shoulders, back and tail are also white. She is also called guereza with a cloak because of the long hairs that are like a cloak on her back. The nose is flattened, and the nostrils are large and long until close to the mouth.

Adults are 50-70cm long, 7-14 kg in weight and 50-80cm in tail length. The colobus monkey has no thumb. The name translates to Greek"the mutilated".

Subspecies: (English name, scientific name, country )

Western guereza, Colobus guereza occidentalis, Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.

Omo River guereza, Colobus guereza guereza, Ethiopia.

Djaffa Mountains guereza or Neumann's black-and-white colobus, Colobus guereza gallarum, Ethiopia east of Rift Valley.

Dodinga Hills guereza, Colobus guereza dodingae, Didinga south of Sudan.

Mau Forest guereza, Colobus guereza matschiei, Kenya Uganda and Tanzania.

Mt Uaraguess guereza or Percival's black-and-white colobus, Colobus guereza percivali, Kenya.

Eastern black-and-white colobus, Colobus guereza kikuyuensis, Kenya.

Kilimanjaro guereza, Colobus guereza caudatus, Tanzania and Kenya.

Colobus Monkey Behavior

The colobus monkey spends most of its time in trees. It is a diurnal animal that lives in groups of 5 to 15 individuals. In the group there is one dominant male and several females with their young.

Each group has a well-established territory. If it happens that a group enters the territory of another group, the males become aggressive when they meet, make shrill sounds, show themselves making jumps and try to chase the inttrusi. One group has a territory of 15 hectares.

Communication is done by means of three distinct sounds: one for warning, one for singing and one for reproduction. Locals say they are good fortune tellers. When bad weather comes, I don't make any more sounds.

African legends call them the messengers of the gods because they carry themselves to the top of the trees and remain still as if praying until the sun rises. Every day, morning and evening, males make loud sounds like roars to confirm their dominance over their territory.

Beautifully colored fur helps them camouflage themselves from predators. The main predators are leopard, chimpanzee and birds of prey. The most enjoyable activity of colombus monkeys is to flirt.

After feeding, the females move to the male to gain his attention.

Breeding The Colobus Monkey

After the mating period follows the gestation period of 6 months after which the female gives birth to a single cub. At birth the coat is white in color, but in a few months it will resemble adults.

It is breastfed for almost 6 months after which it is weaned. After weaning he becomes independent and leaves the group.

Males reach sexual maturity at 6 years of age, and females at 4.