Guereza Colobus Monkeys

1. Which of these guereza colobus monkey facts do you know?

Also known as the mantled guereza and the eastern black-and-white colobus, this monkey has mostly black fur on its body with long white fur on its back creating a mantle (or cape). It has a long bushy tail and a ring of white around its face.

Guereza colobuses are about 60 cm (24 in.) tall with tails measuring about 66 cm (27 in.) long. They weigh around 4-14 kg (14-32 lb.).

Spending so much time in trees, the guereza colobus has several adaptations for swinging and sitting on branches.

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2. Which of these guereza colobus monkey facts are you familiar with?

The word 'colobus' comes from a Greek word meaning 'mutilated'. This is because colobus monkeys do not have functional thumbs. Their thumbs are just small bumps.

However, despite being called 'mutilated', the lack of thumbs actually streamlines their ability to swing from branch to branch. Their fingers are long and hook onto the branches easily without thumbs to get in the way.

The long mantle of the guereza colobus acts like a parachute as it swoops down to catch the next branch. Its tail acts like a rudder to help keep balance.

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3. Which of these guereza colobus monkey facts have you heard about before today's survey?

When they land, guerezas use their opposable big toes on their feet to help them grasp the branches.

Guereza colobuses even have a way to get comfy while sitting in branches for long periods of time. Their butts are equipped with pads called ischial callosities. In this way, they have built-in seat cushions.

In fact, guereza colobuses are so well-suited for life in the trees, they only go to the ground when there is no way to get where they need to go from the treetops.

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4. Which of these guereza colobus monkey facts are you aware of?

Guereza colobuses mainly eat leaves. On occasion, they also eat fruit, seeds, flowers and bark. Because the leaves are so fibrous and low on nutrition, guerezas have a few adaptations to help with digestion. Enlarged salivary glands help soften the leaves while they chew.

Special multi-chambered stomachs (similar to a cow) allow them to pull out as many nutrients as possible during the digestive process. And specialized bacteria in their stomachs helps break down the leaves even further.

Though the IUCN Red List classifies guereza colobus monkeys as a species of least concern, they are threatened by habitat loss as well as fur hunting.

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5. Which of these guereza colobus monkey social facts are you aware of?

Guereza colobuses are social animals. They live in groups of 8-15 with one dominant male, several females, and their young.

Each troop (group of monkeys) has their own territory, and the male lets out loud croaking roars to tell other guereza troops to keep their distance. He will also chase others away if needed.

During the day, guereza colobuses spend their time eating, traveling as a group, and resting. At night, one monkey acts as a sentry while the others sleep, keeping watch for predators such as leopards, hawks, and chimpanzees.

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6. Which of these guereza colobus reproduction facts are you familiar with?

After a 4-6 month gestation period, guereza colobuses give birth to a single infant. A newborn guereza has all white fur with a pink face. Other females in the group help the mother care for the baby. And at about 3 months, the black fur starts to grow in.

Female young will stay with the troop for their whole lives. Male young will leave the group when they mature.

They then live alone or in small bachelor groups until they can take over another troop. In the wild, guereza colobuses live about 20 years.

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