Black Crested Mangabey

ANIMAL:
Black Crested Mangabey Lophocebus atterimus

Type of Animal:
Old World Monkey

Habitat:
Forests & swampland

Location(s):
W Democratic Republic of Congo & extreme NC Angola bordering Congo

Appearance:
Slender black monkey w/ long limbs/hair, large grayish-brown cheeks/cheek pouches, black crest, dark eyelids, long tail, bushy sideburns, sometimes called “baboon mangabeys”

Food/Diet:
Fruit, leaves, nuts, shoots, roots, seeds, flowers, nectar, bark, maize, sweet potatoes, insects, spiders, small mammals, birds

Status in Wild:
Threatened

Conservation:
Breeding in zoos, wildlife parks, & breeding centers

Lifestyle:
Troops of up to 40 animals led by dominant male

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young: Infant
Group: Troop
 
Weight:
Male: 13.22-24.25 lbs
Female: 8.82-15.43 lbs
Young: 3 lbs

Gestation:
5.5-6 months 

Life Span:
18 years in wild, 30 years in captivity

Height:
1.48-2.13 ft, same for both sexes

Body Length:
1.48-2.13 ft, same for both sexes

Tail Length:
2.62-2.78 ft, same for both sexes

Main predators are leopards, golden cats, pythons, crocodiles, & crowned eagles.
 
Threatened due to deforestation, habitat loss, bushmeat hunting, & pet trade.
 
Females often stay in same troop for life while males leave at ages 4-5.
 
Like many monkeys, they’re active during the day (diurnal).
 
Also called Black Mangabeys or Baboon Mangabeys.
 
Large cheek pouches allow them to stuff faces full of food as they rummage through forest.
 
Large incisors/flat molars allow them to crack open hard seeds/nuts.
 
To show submission, subordinate animals present bottoms to dominant animals.
 
Females pout by protruding lips to show sexual receptivity.
 
Head-bobs & staring are threat displays.
 
Every time group moves to new location, nasally grunts emitted. Also emitted when greeting each other.
 
Chuckles & whoop-gobbles signal alarm/danger.
 
Play important role in seed dispersal & in pollination.

Fun Fact(s):
They’re excellent jumpers.
 
Like many primates, female butt swells & becomes pinkish when in heat.
 
Same-sex individuals mount each other to show dominance.

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