Collared Mangabey

Maximum longevity: 46 years (captivity) Observations: It has been estimated that these animals might live over 30 years in the wild (Bernhard Grzimek 1990). One wild born female was about 46 years old when she died in captivity (Richard Weigl 2005).

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Average mass: 9492.5 g.

Average lifespan
Sex: female
Status: captivity: 14.7 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild: 30.0 years.

Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 27.0 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild: 20.5 years.

Collared mangabeys are arboreal as well as terrestrial, but they mainly inhabit lower levels of the forests, especially in swamp forests. Their flexibility on the ground and among the trees allows them to have a rather broad range of habitat, including swamp and agricultural areas. Collared mangabeys typically use the trees to obtain foods and as a haven for hiding and sleeping, but they usually escape enemies and predators (leopards and eagles) terrestrially (on the ground).

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Species of collared mangabey are found in West Africa and distributed from Guinea to Gabon.

(Wilson, 1993)

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

Similar to other species of Cercocebus, collared mangabeys feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, young leaves, grass, mushrooms, and invertebrates.

(Parker, 1990)

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Other Foods: fungus

Primary Diet: omnivore

Cerocebus is Greek for "tail monkey." (Hill, 1974)

Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable

Many natives allege the collar mangabeys raid plantations, causing severe damage to crops.

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Most collared mangabey reach sexual maturity at age 5-7 years. The gestation period lasts for about 170 days, and a female gives birth to only a single young each time. The average weight of each young is unknown. It seems that collared mangabeys lack a well-defined breeding period; however, most of our information derives from species living in captivity and little is known about their reproduction in the wild.

(Parker, 1990 and Hill, 1974)

Breeding season: Collared mangabeys lack a well-defined breeding season.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Average gestation period: 170 days.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 5 to 7 years.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 5 to 7 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous

Average gestation period: 167 days.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); extended period of juvenile learning

The red-capped mangabey lives in large groups of 12 to 23 individuals, with several adult males within each group (2). Loud cackles and alarm barks echo across the forest as the mangabeys keep in contact with the members of their group and signal their position to neighbouring groups. Often these dramatic calls are accompanied by much branch-shaking and grimacing by the adult males (2). The red-capped mangabey feeds primarily on fruits and nuts growing in its lush forest habitat, but supplements its diet with the stems and roots of plants in the undergrowth (2). These primates possess strong incisor teeth which enable them to also eat hard seeds, which the guenon monkeys, with which they share their habitat, cannot (5).

Within its large distribution the red-capped mangabey occurs within only a few protected areas, such as Loanga and Mayumba National Parks in Gabon and Conkouati-Douli National Park in Congo, but many lack the effective anti-poaching measures that would ensure this species' protection (6).

This large, slate-grey mangabey is named for its prominent chestnut-red cap, which is surrounded by a white collar (2). Large blackish ears protrude through the white collar, and the fur on the underside of the slender body is also white (2). Striking white eyelids are conspicuous against the red-capped mangabey's black face (2), and are the reason why some refer to it as the 'four-eyed monkey' (4). Like all mangabeys, the dark grey tail is longer than the body (5), and is frequently held with the white tip hovering over the head (2).

The red-capped mangabey is generally found inhabiting swamp, mangrove or valley forest, but may be forced to range further from these preferred habitats in the dry season when the fruits it feeds on become scarcer (2) (7).

Occurs along the Atlantic forest coastal area of west and central Africa, in Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Nigeria (6) (7).

Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List (1) and listed on Appendix II of CITES (3).

As with many African primates, habitat loss, habitat degradation and hunting threaten the red-capped mangabey (1). It was once widespread, but this primate is now disappearing from areas where agriculture has expanded into its habitat (2), and in areas of hunting pressure (6). This species is subject to intensive hunting, particularly in Cameroon and Nigeria (2), with its noisy, far-reaching calls making it an easy target to locate (6). It may also be caught in wire snares that are set around to villages to trap small ground-dwelling mammals (6).

The collared mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus), also called red-capped mangabey and white-collared mangabey is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae of Old World monkeys. It formerly included the sooty mangabey as a subspecies. As presently defined, the collared mangabey is monotypic.