Colobus
Monkey
Colobus monkeys make
their habitats in the forests and grasslands of Central Africa. In
the wild, their diet consists of flowers, fruit and
leaves, but in the zoo they eat mostly fruit and vegetables. The monkeys
usually live in a family setting, with one male and approximately three
to four females. The mammal, nicknamed the “Messenger of the Gods,” can
usually be found climbing high up into the trees and facing the sun at
dawn and dusk.
The monkeys are known for their black body and white shoulders, backs
and beard. They are born white and then turn black during infancy. Unlike
most primates, the colobus do not have thumbs; this is most likely an
adaptation for moving through the trees quickly. The monkeys stand about
18 to 27 inches high and weigh approximately 12 to 32 pounds.
Colobus monkeys are a threatened species in their native region of eastern
Africa due to habitat encroachment by humans and a loss of habitat when
forests are cut down. There are four different species of black and white
colobus monkey; Oregon Zoo houses the guereza (Colobus guereza),
subspecies kikuyuensis. They have a pouched stomach adapted to leaf
digestion, and males use vocalizations to establish territory.
Meet Kiku
and Mali, two of the zoo's Colobus monkeys.
Just the
Facts About Colobus Monkeys
scientific
name
Colobus
guereza caudatus
size/weight/height
Weight:
12 - 32 lbs.
Height: 18 - 27"
Tail Length: 20 - 35"
adaptations/coloration
Color:
body black • back/shoulders/beard/mantle white • young born
white; turn black after infancy
Stomach: pouched for leaf digestion
Thumbs: none
colobus means "mutilated one"; probably an adaptation for
moving quickly through the trees
behavior
Group:
family • 1 adult male • 3-4 females (membership stable)
Young: male remains until displaced by stronger male
Vocalization: male uses; establishes territory
Tree Climbing: climb often/high; face sun dawn/dusk
Nickname: "Messenger of the Gods"
reproduction/lifespan
Lifespan:
wild/captivity 25 - 30 yrs. estimate
Sexual Maturity: male 4 yrs. • female 6 yrs.
Gestation: estimate 4.5 - 5.5 mos.
Birth Interval: 20+ mos.
diet
Wild: flowers,
fruit and leaves
Zoo: apples, bananas, carrots, grapes, greens, oranges, vegetables
habitat/range
forests
• grasslands of Central Africa
status
CITES App
II • due to habitat destruction and human population growth
• studbook • Old World Monkey TAG
Hunted: over-hunted • beautiful coats were rage in 1920s and
30s
• sold even today in Africa
enrichment
complex
climbing structure • rope netting • water mister • boomer
ball
oregon
zoo exhibit
Africa
Rain Forest
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