Niger Delta red colobus

The Niger Delta Red Colobus ( Piliocolobus epieni ) is a primate of the group of colobus monkeys which is endemic in the western part of the Niger Delta in West Africa Nigeria. The way was long considered a subspecies of Pennant Colobus ( Piliocolobus pennantii ) from the Republic of Congo and the island of Bioko, was charged by Colin P. Groves but to the rank of an independent nature which in recent publications (eg, in " Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Volume 3, Primates " ) is increasingly recognized.

Features

The Niger Delta Red Colobus is similar to the Pennant Colobus and how this a blackish back, orange-brown body sides and a whitish belly. The white of the underside extends to the outer sides of the arms and restricts the orange - brown color to a narrow band. Hands and feet are black. The tail is on top of dark reddish brown with a medium dark brown ribbon and on the bottom maroon or dark brown - red. The last third of the tail is increasingly black brown. Above the ears are striking black swirls.

Habitat

The Niger Delta Red Colobus lives exclusively in the so-called march forest zone ( "marsh forest" ) in the western Niger Delta. It is characterized by a year-round high water level, but tidal effects or additional flooding does not occur. The limited distribution of edible plants in this habitat should be a key factor in the very limited range of the species. An important food plant is the tree Hallea ledermannii. The distribution area is bounded on the northwest by the rivers Forcados and Bomadi, from Sagbama, Osiama and Apoi in the east and from the mangrove belt in the south. At the time of his discovery of the Niger Delta Red Colobus was locally common. Meanwhile, the species is but due to deforestation, hunting and other human activities are at risk and the population of the species is zurückgegengen in the last 30 years by 80 %, so that it is now considered as endangered ( Critically Endangered ). Other monkey species found in the habitat of the Niger Delta Red Colobus, the Rotbauchmeerkatze ( Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki ) and the Halsbandmangabe ( Cercocebus torquatus ), both of which are in the red list of IUCN listed as threatened ( Vulnerable ), as well as the Great White nose guenon ( Cercopithecus nictitans ), the Mona monkey ( Cercopithecus mona ) and possibly also the Green Colobus ( Procolobus verus ). The Niger Delta Red Colobus is not protected by law in Nigeria itself, its two major population groups settle in Apoi Creek and the Upper Orashi Forest Reserve