A few years ago, I found myself driving along the Grumeti River basin in Tanzania looking for clues of what seemed like a very busy night in the savanna. The night before, we woke up to the alarm calls of monkeys who apparently had spotted a leopard lurking in the middle of night, probably looking for its midnight snack. We did not find the leopard of its prey but, while searching we found the most charismatic monkeys I had ever seen before: The black-and-white Colobus monkey with its elegant long tale hanging from the branch of a tree.
Black-and-white Colobuses belong to the Colobus genus, they are Old World Monkeys which means their long tails are not prehensile like the New World Monkeys found in America. There are five species of this monkey, and at least eight subspecies. Their stunning contrasting fur is not the only reason behind their uniqueness. Here five fun facts about Colobuses that I found during my research:
1. The word “Colobus” stems from the Greek word ‘kolobus’ which means “mutilated”. This refers to their nearly absent thumb that looks more like a small bump with a remnant nail. In spite of the lack of thumbs, Colobuses monkeys are great leapers! In fact, their mantle hair and tails are believed to act as a parachute that allows them to leap up to 6 m from tree to tree...[1]
2. Colobuses monkeys are capable of eating toxic foliage. Thanks to their ruminant-like digestive system, Colobuses are able to digest mature or toxic foliage that other monkeys cannot. This incredible adaptation trait, allows them to occupy and survive in areas where other primates simply cannot.
3. Colobuses monkeys are super chill. Most monkeys will try to steal food whenever they get a chance or might respond aggressively to anyone who approaches them. On the contrary, Colobuses sleep a lot. If they are not eating leaves, they are sleeping, which is probably a result of the fermentation process that goes on in their stomachs.
4. Black-and-white colobuses are born white. They only start to look like their parents after five weeks or so. These adorable babies are unfortunately the target of the Asian pet and meat markets. Since the entire troop will try to protect the infant, poachers will often kill the whole family.
5. They are closely related to the endangered Red Colobus which have been over-hunted by Chimpanzees in Uganda!!! This is the first time a non-human primate has been shown to overhunt another, leading to a population decline. Despite this, their main threat is habitat loss. The Red Colobus monkeys' range overlaps with more than 75 percent of all primate species on mainland Africa, their protection would benefit countless other species. In fact, Red Colobus has been identified as what is known as a Cinderella species: a species that is currently overlooked, but aesthetically appealing, and that could help generate funds for the conservation of multiple species across a landscape. [2]
The Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC), has put a plan to develop a conservation network with over 150 people working together to protect the Red Colobus. The five year plan includes increased political support, building capacity and raising awareness about the importance of Red Colobuses for the health of the ecosystems they inhabited. If you wish to learn more about Red Colobuses please visit GWC.
Thank you for reading :) the missing thumb helps them move through the forest. That and their sturdy stomach helps them inhabit palaces where other monkeys simply cannot live!
How interesting! If it weren’t for this article I wouldn’t have known there is a specie called the Red Colobus. Also, I wonder why the black and white colobus have almost no thumb?