Mantled guereza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mantled guereza |
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| Male at the Henry Doorly Zoo | |
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| Female with infant at Münster Zoo | |
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Colobus
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| Species: |
guereza
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| Mantled guereza range | |
The Mantled Guereza is a type of monkey found in Africa, known for its striking black fur with long, flowing white hair along its sides, back, and tail. It's also called the eastern black-and-white colobus.
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Appearance and Names
The Mantled Guereza (its scientific name is Colobus guereza) is a special kind of monkey that lives in Africa. Imagine a monkey dressed in a fancy black suit with a long, white, furry cape draped over its shoulders and down its back – that's the "mantle" that gives it its name! This mantle is made of long, silky white hair. They also have a white frame around their face and a big, fluffy white tuft at the end of their long tail.
These monkeys have a few different names. Besides Mantled Guereza, people also call them the guereza, the eastern black-and-white colobus, or the Abyssinian black-and-white colobus. The name "guereza" comes from a local name for the monkey in Ethiopia. The scientific name Colobus comes from a Greek word meaning "mutilated," which refers to their very small, almost missing, thumbs.
Mantled Guerezas come in different sizes depending on whether they are male or female. Males are usually a bit bigger, weighing between about 9.3 and 13.5 kilograms (that's about 21 to 30 pounds). Females are a little lighter, weighing between 7.8 and 9.2 kilograms (about 17 to 20 pounds). From head to body, males are about 61.5 centimeters long (about 24.2 inches), and females are about 57.6 centimeters long (about 22.7 inches).
When baby Mantled Guerezas are born, they look quite different from their parents! They have pink skin and white fur. As they grow, their fur and skin get darker, and by the time they are about three or four months old, they have their adult black and white colors.
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C. g. occidentalis
At the Semliki Wildlife Reserve in Uganda -
C. g. occidentalis with juvenile
At the Semliki Wildlife Reserve in Uganda -
C. g. matschiei with juvenile
At the Lake Naivasha in Kenya -
C. g. matschiei
At the Lake Naivasha in Kenya -
male C. g. guereza
At the Amora Gedel Park in Awassa, Ethiopia -
male C. g. guereza
At the Amora Gedel Park in Awassa, Ethiopia -
juvenile female C. g. guereza
At the Amora Gedel Park in Awassa, Ethiopia
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Where Do They Live?
Mantled Guerezas live in many parts of central and eastern Africa. You can find them in countries like Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Chad.
They are very good at living in different kinds of forests. They like both forests where trees lose their leaves (deciduous forests) and forests where trees stay green all year (evergreen forests). They are often found in forests near rivers or lakes and can even live high up in the mountains, sometimes as high as 3,300 meters (that's over 10,800 feet!).
These monkeys are quite adaptable. This means they can live even in forests that have been changed by people, like forests where some trees have been cut down. They sometimes even prefer these areas because there might be more of the types of trees they like to eat, and the leaves might be easier to digest. They can also sometimes be found in swamps or even in areas planted with trees like Eucalyptus, especially if they need certain nutrients.
There are actually several different kinds, or subspecies, of Mantled Guerezas, and they live in different parts of Africa. For example, there's the Western Guereza found in places like Nigeria and Uganda, the Omo River Guereza in Ethiopia, and the Kilimanjaro Guereza near the famous Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Kenya. These different subspecies can look a little different from each other, especially in the color and length of their mantle and tail tuft.
Diet
Even though they are sometimes called "leaf-eating monkeys," Mantled Guerezas enjoy other foods like seeds, fruits, bark, flowers, and even sometimes insects. What they eat can change depending on where they live and what time of year it is.
They are quite picky about their leaves, often choosing young leaves over older ones. When it comes to fruit, they sometimes prefer to eat it before it's fully ripe. This might help them avoid competing for food with other animals that like ripe fruit.
Mantled Guerezas have a special stomach with multiple parts, kind of like a cow's stomach, which helps them digest tough plant materials like leaves. This special stomach has helpful bacteria that break down the fiber in the leaves. They are very good at getting the nutrients they need from plants.
Behavior and Social Life
Mantled Guerezas are most active during the day. They spend a lot of their time resting, sometimes up to half the day! When they are not resting, they are usually busy looking for food or traveling through the trees. They wake up around dawn and leave their sleeping trees, returning to them when the sun starts to set.
They live in social groups, usually with about three to fifteen members. These groups often have one main male, several females, and their young ones. Sometimes, a group might have more than one male, but usually, one male is the leader. Males who aren't part of a group might live by themselves or in groups with other males.
Females are very important for keeping the group together. They are often related to each other and usually stay with the group they were born into. Males, however, usually leave their birth group when they get older. They might then try to join another group.
Life within a Mantled Guereza group is generally peaceful. Females often get along well and don't have a strict pecking order. They spend time grooming each other, which helps them bond. Males don't groom as much.
While they aren't always fighting over territory, groups can sometimes be a bit aggressive towards each other, especially if they meet at the edge of their home areas. These disagreements usually involve chasing, making loud noises, and showing off their fur rather than actually fighting.
Communication
Mantled Guerezas have many ways of communicating with each other. One of the most amazing is the loud "roar" that the males make, especially in the early morning or at dawn. This roar is so loud it can be heard up to a mile away! When one male starts roaring, nearby males often join in, creating a chorus of roars. These roars can even give clues about how big and strong the male is.
Besides roaring, they make other sounds too. Males might snort if they sense danger. They make soft "purrs" before the group moves to a new spot. Females and babies might make "caw" sounds if they are a little worried, and louder squeaks or screams if they are in more serious trouble. They also make clicking sounds with their mouths during mild disagreements.
But it's not just sounds! Mantled Guerezas also use their bodies to communicate. They use different postures, movements, facial expressions, and even touch each other to send messages. Showing off their white fringe fur can also be a way to communicate.
Reproduction and Parenting
Mantled Guereza groups usually have one male and several females, and the male will have babies with the females in his group.
After a female is pregnant for a little over five months (about 158 days), she gives birth to a single baby. As we learned, the baby is born with white fur and pink skin. The newborn baby needs its mother a lot and holds on tightly to her. As the baby gets older, it starts to move around on its own but still stays close to its mother.
Baby guerezas get a lot of attention from everyone in the group. Other females might help take care of the baby, although the baby is usually most comfortable with its own mother. The adult male in the group usually starts paying more attention to the babies when they are about four or five weeks old. Babies start eating solid food when they are about eight or nine weeks old and are fully weaned (meaning they stop drinking their mother's milk) by about fifty weeks old.
Conservation Status
As of 2025, the Mantled Guereza is generally considered a species of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It means that even though they might face challenges in some places, overall, they are not currently in danger of disappearing. They are found in many different areas and can live in different types of forests, which helps them survive.
However, some specific kinds, or subspecies, of Mantled Guerezas are facing more difficulties. For example, the Mt Uaraguess Guereza in Kenya is listed as "Endangered," meaning it is at high risk of disappearing in the wild. This is because it lives in a small area and is threatened by things like hunting. Other subspecies are listed as "Data Deficient," which means scientists don't have enough information yet to know how they are doing.
Mantled Guerezas are quite good at living in forests that have been changed by people, like those where some trees have been cut down. Sometimes, logging can even help them by creating more of the plants they like to eat. However, if a forest is completely cut down, it causes a big problem for them, and their numbers can drop a lot.
Predators
The mantled guereza is mostly preyed on by the crowned hawk-eagle, but it is also eaten by other birds of prey such as Verreaux's eagle. The common chimpanzee is known to hunt the guereza. The leopard is another possible predator.
Threats
They can be threatened by hunting. People sometimes hunt them for their meat or their beautiful skins. The skins have sometimes been used for clothing or sold to tourists. Protecting their forest homes and preventing hunting are important ways to help make sure these amazing monkeys continue to thrive in Africa.
See also
In Spanish: Guereza abisinio para niños
