White-throated guenon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-throated guenon |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cercopithecus
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| Species: |
erythrogaster
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| White-throated guenon range | |
The white-throated guenon is a type of monkey. It is also called the red-bellied monkey or red-bellied guenon. These monkeys are active during the day, which means they are diurnal. They live in the trees of rainforests in Nigeria and Benin.
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About the White-throated Guenon
The white-throated guenon mostly eats fruit. This makes them a frugivore. But they also enjoy insects, leaves, and even farm crops.
How Guenons Live
These monkeys usually live in small groups. A typical group has about four or five monkeys. However, some larger groups of up to 30 have been seen. Sometimes, male monkeys travel all by themselves.
Guenons are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. They prefer wet tropical forests. You can also find them in areas with secondary bush or old farmland.
Size and Reproduction
Male white-throated guenons weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 kilograms. Females are a bit smaller, weighing 2 to 4 kilograms.
Female guenons usually give birth to only one baby at a time. This low birth rate is one reason why their population is decreasing.
Conservation Status
The white-throated guenon was once thought to be extinct. This was because people hunted them a lot. They were hunted for their unique red belly fur and white front legs. But in 1988, a small group was found near the Niger River. This was great news!
Why They Are Endangered
Today, the white-throated guenon is still an endangered species. Their numbers are still going down. They live in forest reserves in Nigeria and special sacred groves in Benin. However, it is hard to stop hunting and logging in these areas. Sometimes, there are no rules to protect them at all.
These monkeys live in the Guinean Forests of West Africa. This area is a very important Biodiversity Hotspot in West Africa. It means it has many different kinds of plants and animals.
Subspecies
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the white-throated guenon:
- Red-bellied guenon, Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster
- Nigerian white-throated guenon, Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki
