BLACK CRESTED MANGABEY

BLACK CRESTED MANGABEYLophocebus aterrimus

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

Poaching of this species for the bushmeat trade is intensifying, and much of the forest in its range is now almost “empty” of large mammals. Because of its relatively large body size, the Black Mangabey is more attractive to hunters than the smaller monkeys with which it shares its range. The species is also threatened by habitat loss and is suspected to have declined by at least 30% over the past three generations (30 years).

Vulnerability-_Vulnerable

CLASS

Mammalia

ORDER

Primates

FAMILY

Cercopithecoidea

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mangabey

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General Characteristics:

Color: 

All black

Size:

1.5 – 2.5 feet 

Weight:

9-22 lbs

Average Lifespan:

18 years

Captive Lifespan:

Up to 30 years

Distribution:

West Central Africa

Habitat:

Rainforests

Reproduction:

Mating: 

Not seasonal

Gestation/Incubation:

24 weeks 

Litter/Clutch Size:

1

Mature: 

Diet:

Mainly fruits and nuts, shoots and roots when fruit is scarce.

Behavior:

This diurnal, arboreal primate.  Lives in social groups of 14-20 individuals.

Teaching Facts:

1. Wide variety of vocal sounds, suggest a complex web of social relations

2. Does not actively defend home territories.