Communication in most primates is complex, involving visual signals (such as facial expressions and body postures), vocalizations, and different forms of physical contact ( such reassurance gestures, aggression, grooming). It is likely that these monkeys employ all means of communication listed above.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Colobus polykomos is considered to be highly endangered because of habitat destruction and hunting. Habitat destruction occurs through subsistance farming, commercial agricultural development and selective logging. Colobus polykomos is also extremely vulnerable to hunting by humans, both for their meat and fur.
Attempts at maintaining this species in captivity has largely failed, most probably because of their digestive peculiarities. Instead, it is important to manage C. polykomos habitat forests effectively and prevent any further habitat destruction in order to protect and conserve them.
CITES: appendix ii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable
Their numbers are so low as to have little to no effect on humans whatsoever.
In the nineteenth century, C. polykomos was hunted by humans extensively for use of its fur . More recently, however, C. polykomos has provided little economic benefit for humans. They could be considered important in ways other than economically, however, due to the fact that they are ecologically, anatomically and socially interesting.
These monkeys probably have some impact on their ecosystem. As a potential prey species, the abundance of these monkeys may affect the abundance of predators. In addition, their reliance on leafy vegetations, fruits and seeds, may affect the plant community, especially by dispersing seeds.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Although C. polykomos is generally highly arboreal, members of this species are found to feed on the ground. Colobus groups typically have a daily foraging path of only about 500 meters. The diet consists mostly of leaves, but fruits and flowers can be more/less important depending upon the season (Nowak, 1999).
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit; flowers
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )
Individuals of the genus Colobus are typically found in tropical rain forests (lowland and montane types) of Africa, in the countries of Senegal, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Congo, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. Colobus polykomos is limited to a range from Gambia to the Ivory Coast.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Most African forests in which C. polykomos is found experience prolonged and pronounced dry seasons. Most of the forest lies within 10 degrees of the equator and is characterized by two rainfall peaks interspersed with two relatively dry periods--one short and one long. Much of the African moist forest zone is dominated by a single leguminous tree species. At present, much of C. polykomos habitat has been overrun by farming (especially rice cultivation) and tree cutting. This being the case, these areas typically support a variable array of young secondary forest. The old secondary forest (60% of the habitat) is dominated by the leguminous trees.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
The maximum longevity reported for this species is 23.5 years in captivity. Wild life spans are not known with certainty, but are likely to be lower than this.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 23.5 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 23.0 years.
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 27.5 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 30.5 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 26.0 years.
Average lifespan
Sex: male
Status: captivity: 24.0 years.
Males, on average, weigh approximately 9.90 kg, whereas a typical female is near 8.30 kg. Head and body length range from 450 to 720 mm, tail length from 520 to 1,000 mm. Colobus polykomos has white markings like most other species within the genus Colobus, however, this species is distinctive in that the chest and whiskers are white while the rest of the body is black. Further, the tail is entirely white and not tufted (Nowak, 1999). Colobus polykomos is slender- bodied with a long tail and prominant rump callosities. A complex sacculated stomach is present, but cheek pouches are absent. The thumb is reduced to a mere tubercle, the skull is somewhat prognathous, and the orbits are oval with narrow superciliary ridges (Nowak, 1999). The nostrils are lengthened by an extension of the nasal skin and may extend to nearly the mouth.
Range mass: 5 to 14 kg.
Range length: 450 to 720 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Predators of these colobus monkeys are not reported. However, because of the size of these monkeys and their arboreal habits, likely predators include raptors and leopards. Large snakes might also take young animals.
The mating system has been described as 'unimale'--one male mating with several females, as well as 'multimale' where multiple males mate with multiple females.
Mating System: polygynous ; polygynandrous (promiscuous)
There is conflicting evidence regarding seasonality of reproduction. In some groups, C. polykomos has been observed to give birth year round, but in others the birth season coincides with the dry season (December-May). This is thought to occur as a result of the greater availability of fruit as well as access to crops and human provisioning.
The gestation period of this species is 175 days on average, and the interbirth interval is approximately 24 months. Females, on average, produce 1 offspring every 20 months (Nowak, 1999) and reach sexual maturity at approximately 2 years of age.
Breeding interval: Colobus polykomos breed once every two years.
Breeding season: Data on breeding seasonality is somewhat conflicting, with some populations breeding year round, and others breeding so that births occur during the rainy season.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average gestation period: 175 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 708.5 g.
Average gestation period: 185 days.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 730 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 1642 days.
As in all primates, females are primarily responsible for the care of offspring. Females provide their young with milk, protection, and grooming. Young are not able to walk immediately, and must be carried for some time. The role of males in parental care has not been reported.
Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female)
The king colobus (Colobus polykomos), also known as the western black-and-white colobus, is a species of Old World monkey, found in lowland and mountain rainforests in a region stretching from Senegal, through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to the Ivory Coast.[2] One of five members of the genus Colobus, the black-and-white colobuses, the king colobus is the westernmost species of the group on the continent of Africa.[3] It eats mainly leaves, but also fruits and flowers. Though it is arboreal, it eats primarily on the ground. It lives in small groups consisting of 3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males, plus their young. These groups maintain distance from one another through territorial calling.[4]
The word 'Colobus' comes from the Greek word for 'mutilated', as all Colobus monkeys only have a short stump where the thumb would be. The word 'poly' comes from the Greek word for 'many.' The word 'komos' comes from the Greek celebration of unrestrained singing. A possible subspecies known as C. p. dollmani can be found but is most likely a hybrid with C. vellerosus.[2]
The male king colobus grows to a head-and-body length of 670 mm (26 in), with a tail of between 630 and 900 mm (25 and 35 in). The female is slightly smaller. Males weigh an average of 9.90 kg and females weigh an average of 8.30 kg.[4]
The body is black, the limbs and fingers are long and the tail is white. There is a fringe of silvery hair around the face as well as long white "epaulettes" on its shoulders.[5] The king colobus can be distinguished from other members of the Colobus genus by the placement of its white markings. The king colobus has white only on its whiskers, chest, and tail, and its tail is not covered by a tuft.[4]
The king colobus monkey is found in lowland and montane tropical rainforests.[2] The region in which they inhabit is limited to a small range on the Ivory Coast up to Gambia.[4] They can also be found in Senegal, through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.[2] Much of the habitat of the king colobus has been destroyed by humans for farming and secondary forests have begun to fill in this area. The forest habitats experiences significant dry seasons and two rainfall peaks. This area is dominated by leguminous trees.[4]
Diet consists mainly of arboreal leaves, but includes fruit and flowers depending on the season. It can be found foraging on the ground and typically stays within a foraging path of approximately 500 meters.[4]
It lives in small groups of less than 4 females and 1 to 3 males. Unlike males, females interact closely: males rarely interact and try to show dominance.[4] Either males or both sexes will disperse from family groups.[6][7][8]
The king colobus have an average home range of 22 hectares with some overlap between groups. Groups rarely encounter other groups of the same species but when they do, males engage in aggressive displays. Territorial calling is a common form of aggression but can also be a warning to the group of predators.[4]
King colobus have been shown to live approximately 23.5 years in captivity and possibly around 30 years in the wild.[4]
The king colobus live in a single male (polygynous) and multi-male (polygynandrous) mating system. Some groups have shown year round births while others have shown births in relation to the dry seasons. The average gestation period is 175 days and the females produce 1 offspring every 20 months. Both males and females reach sexual maturity at approximately 730 days or 2 years. Females provide the parental care by providing milk, grooming, protection and carry the newborns as they cannot walk immediately.[4]
The king colobus has a moderate-sized range; it used to be a common and widespread species but numbers have declined over the last few decades. The main cause for the decline is hunting which is threatening and fragmenting populations. In the 19th century the king colobus was hunted for its fur.[4] There is also a continuing decline in the quality and quantity of the forested habitat where it lives; it seems to be largely restricted to primary forest and gallery forest, although it sometimes visits secondary forest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being endangered.[2] Maintaining this species in captivity has mostly failed and focus has been on managing the habitats to prevent further degradation and habitat destruction that could harm the species.[4]
The king colobus (Colobus polykomos), also known as the western black-and-white colobus, is a species of Old World monkey, found in lowland and mountain rainforests in a region stretching from Senegal, through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to the Ivory Coast. One of five members of the genus Colobus, the black-and-white colobuses, the king colobus is the westernmost species of the group on the continent of Africa. It eats mainly leaves, but also fruits and flowers. Though it is arboreal, it eats primarily on the ground. It lives in small groups consisting of 3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males, plus their young. These groups maintain distance from one another through territorial calling.
