ANIMAL: De Brazza’s Monkey Cercopithecus neglectus Type of Animal: Old World Monkey Habitat: Tropical forest, swamp forest, swamps, wetland forest, seasonally flooded areas, acacia forest Location(s): Range from S. Ethiopia to Cameroon down to N. Angola. Fragmented populations in W. Ethiopia, extreme South Sudan, & E. Kenya. Possibly in parts of Tanzania. Appearance: White facial hair, brownish-grayish body, orange crest on forehead. Males have blue scrotum. Food/Diet: Fruit, flowers, leaves, mushrooms, beetles, ants, termites, worms, lizards, seeds, sprouts Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in zoos Lifestyle: Family troops consist of 3-5 related females & offspring, accompanied by a male. Younger males form bachelor troops. Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young-Infant Group-Troop Weight: Male-16 lbs Female-9 lbs Young-3-4 lbs Gestation: 5-6 months Body Length: Male-1.6-2 ft Female-1.3-1.7 lbs Life Span: 20-30 years Tail Length: Male-2-2.6 ft Female-1.5-1.8 ft Main predators are leopards, chimps, raptors, crocodiles, & snakes. Troops very territorial & display canines at rivals. Males leave troop earlier than females. Some females stay in same troop for life. Declining in wild due to habitat loss, deforestation, pet trade, bushmeat, logging, disease, & hunting for fur. Males are very noisy. These monkeys are very good at camouflage. Food stored in cheek pouches sometimes. Sexually mature at 5-6 years old. More terrestrial than many other monkeys. These monkeys are sometimes called “swamp monkeys”. If seen by predator, whole family freezes in one spot. These monkeys are very shy & avoid other monkey species. Like most monkeys, they’re diurnal. Sometimes, they’re crepuscular. Males make low booming sound to mark territory. Typically found within a mile of a water source. Breeding typically coincides w/ when food is most available. Fun Fact(s): Neglectus part of scientific name derives from excellent hiding abilities. These monkeys, like others, don’t make good pets. Sometimes called “Ayatollah Monkeys” due to noticeable beard. One of the few monkeys that can swim. Named for French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who founded Congolese capital city Brazzaville.
