Sclater's guenon

Nigeria - foot blue monkey ( Cercopithecus sclateri )

The Nigeria - foot blue monkey ( Cercopithecus sclateri ) is a primate of the species of vervet monkeys ( Cercopithecus ) within the family Cercopithecidae ( Cercopithecidae ).

Features

Nigeria - foot blue monkeys are among the smaller monkeys, females reach an average weight of 2.5 kg and males 4 kg. Their fur is gray on top and olive green on the underside. The blue face is surrounded by white yellow tufts of hair on the cheeks, the top of the head is yellow and the throat white in color. The ears carry prominent white tufts of hair.

Distribution and habitat

Nigeria - foot blue monkeys are in southern Nigeria east of the Niger endemic. Their habitat is wetlands or nearby rivers forests.

Way of life

These primates are diurnal Baumbewöhner. They live together in groups of up to 30 animals, which are, as in all monkeys harem groups. That is, these groups consist of one male, several females, and the associated offspring. The food of animals consists mainly of fruits, probably they take, like other members of their species also leaves, seeds and insects to him.

Threat

The Nigeria - blue mouth monkey was already thought to be extinct before it was rediscovered in 1988. Today the population on five small residual groups is fragmented, which account for all of them below 250 copies. Two of these populations are protected because they are considered by the local population as sacred, the others had to endure some intense hunting. Their settlement area is protected for the most part today, and thus secured against deforestation is nonetheless the way, also due to the fragmentation of their small distribution area, according to IUCN as endangered ( endangered ). In the Cross River National Park and south of Oguta Lake, the Nigeria - blue mouth monkey live in protected areas.