What Makes the Colobus Monkey One of Africa’s Most Unique Primates?

The Colobus Monkey is one of the brightest primates in Africa which has its black and white fur and beautiful dance in the trees. It is indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa & spends almost all its life in the trees jumping, climbing and sleeping. It is called colobus in Greek meaning mutilated; its hands have no thumbs and hence help it to swing and move easily through treetops. 

Key Characteristics of the Colobus Monkey

1. Physical Features

One of the most noticeable primates on the African continent is the Colobus monkey with black & white fur, long white mantles and bushy tails. Their bodies are also slim, light with long tails that help them move very fast and balance when climbing between the trees.

2. Weight & Size

They are medium sized primates, and adult animals weigh 5-14 kilograms (11-31 pounds) of various species. They measure 45 to 70 centimeters in body length and their long tail that is in most cases longer than the body length balances them among the trees.

Men tend to be taller and heavier than women and both sexes are amazingly agile and can leap distances of more than 15 meters between trees as they navigate through the canopy.

3. The “Thumb-less” Adaptation

The thumbs of these monkeys are small or absent, and thus the hands are hook-like. This genetically modified feature enables them to hold the branches. It assists them to swing fast and move in an easy manner through treetops.

4. Diet

The monkeys specialized folivores (leaf eaters) and this fact makes them very different from other monkey species that depend a lot on fruits. Their diet includes:

• Young leaves
• Seeds
• Flowers
• Fruits (occasionally)
• Bark and shoots

They possess several chambers in their stomachs (similar to cows), which assists them in digesting tough & toxic plant materials. 

5. Lifespan

They normally live 20 years in the wild, though they can live longer in confined areas. Age, availability of food, habitat and availability of predators are among the factors that determine their lifespan.

6. Habitat

They are mostly found in the tropical forests, mountain forests and riverine woodlands in Africa. They prefer such places with a dense forest covering where  they do not have to go down to the ground to move.

They are commonly found in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia as well as portions of West and Central Africa.

Predators 

Despite the agility of these monkeys, there are many natural predators of these monkeys in the wild. The key threats are:

• Leopards
• Crowned eagles
• Chimpanzees
• Large snakes

Monkeys especially are weak when they are young. They use height, speed and group awareness in order to defend themselves. In case of danger, the group members tend to make warning calls in order to allow others to flee through the trees before time runs out.

Social Life and Behavior

They are very social and they live in groups of 5-15 monkeys with one dominant male, a number of females, and young ones.

Males roar at night or in the morning in a chorus to establish territory. Grooming has a positive effect on the development of relationships within groups. They sleep away the greater part of the day and rummage about their heavy meal of leaves.

Different Species 

Red Colobus Monkey 

This type of monkey is said to be active and social. It normally possesses reddish-brown or chestnut-coloured fur occasionally blended with black or grey. Their bodies are thin and their legs are long which aid them in moving very fast through the trees.

They mainly feed on young leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds and feed on the rough plant material using their special stomach.

Habitat: This is typically found in the tropical forests, mangrove forests as well as the coastal woodlands of the East and Central African area (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and the Congo Basin).

Black and White Colobus Monkey 

These are long-haired monkeys with their white hair hanging down their shoulders and then forming a U shape along their backs and their long, black and white tails. They have a face that is largely black, and is framed with white hair, as well as nose that is short, near the mouth.

They are fine climbers and jumpers and move graciously through the trees which are very high. They feed on mostly leaves, seeds, flowers and sometimes fruits.

Habitat: These monkeys inhabit dense forests (Africa) of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda where the high trees and dense bushes serve as the food and shelter of the monkeys.

Angolan Colobus Monkey 

It has soft black fur, and long white mantle-like shoulder and side hair, thus renowned. It is also able to balance using its long tail when going through the canopy.

Their food mostly consists of young leaves, young shoots, fruits, and flowers. They tend to be quiet and less active than red monkeys and exist in fewer family groups.

Habitat: They are found in dense tropical forests, mountain forests, and riverine woodlands in Central and East Africa. Their dense fur makes them fit well in the highland forests which are cooler.

Best Time to See in the Wild

They are most active and feeding in the early morning and late afternoon and that is the best time to see them. For safari travelers, the seasons when it is not raining are usually the most favorable as they can easily see the animals as they are found in less dense vegetation and near water bodies.

The forests found in East Africa like those found in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda provide the perfect sightseeing opportunities.

Conservation Status

Other species of colobus are discussed as Least Concern, i.e., with relatively stable populations, e.g., the Eastern black-and-white colobus. Nonetheless, there are numerous other species which are at risk and they are endangered species, especially red monkeys. 

The key threats to these monkeys are:

• Logging / agricultural deforestation.
• Hunting for bushmeat
• Hunting for their fur

Safari Experience

The sight of a colobus monkey in a safari may be an unforgettable experience. These primates can be found climbing and swinging about the tree tops with grace as well as making great jumps among the branches.

They can be seen resting in groups, eating leaves or grooming one another by the visitors in the forest reserves or national parks. 

They do not run away as fast as some animals do and tend to stay in the trees above the safari trails and thus allowing travelers ample time to see their behaviours.

Safari Tips 

• In the trees: The majority of the monkeys, most of the time, spend the better part of their day in the canopy.
• Take an experienced guide: He or she will be able to know the location of the monkeys, and even recognize their calls.
• Directly to the thick wood: Colobus apes prefer to pass through thick wood, not the open savanna.
• Bring two field glasses or zoom lens: They will enable you to have a close view of them without interfering with their activities.

Conclusion

Colobus monkeys are a wonderful example of how animals adapt to their environment. These monkeys are perfectly suited to inhabit the trees of the African woods with their hands, having no thumbs, and feed on the leaves, and their habit as social community.

When they are flying high with grace, they remind us that there is also a great diversity of wild animals in the various regions of the continent. In conserving their forest habitats we will ensure that the beauty and uniqueness of these wonderful primates can be experienced by future generations.

FAQs 

Why is the Colobus Monkey referred to as thumb-less?

They lack or possess very small thumbs, which assist their hands to act like hooks that swing them through the tree branches.

What do they eat?

They mostly consume leaves, but can also consume fruits, flowers and seeds.

Where do they live?

They are found in tropical, coastal & montane forests of the majority of areas in sub-Saharan Africa.

Are they endangered?

Others, such as the red colobus monkeys are endangered by deforestation and poaching. Their populations are being conserved.