Virtual Non-Human Primate Zoo

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:

  Order: Primates

    Suborder: Haplorrhini

      Infraorder: Simiiformes

        Parvorder: Catarrhini

          Superfamily: Cercopithecoidea

            Family: Cercopithecidae

              Subfamily: Cercopithecinae

                Genus: Mandrillus

                  Species: leucophaeus

 

COMMON NAME:  Drill

 

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION:  Africa

 

HABITAT:

• lowland, submontane rainforest up to 1,000 m (3,200 feet)

• mature secondary forest

• infrequently in young secondary forest

 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

• absence of facial color

• facial color-jet black while lower hips are bright red

• nub of a tail

• distinct ridges on nasal bones

• coat is olive brown

• males double in size compared to females

 

DIET:  Omnivorous

• forage extensively on the ground probably consuming a large variety of invertebrates

 

LOCOMOTION TYPE:  Semi-Terrestrial Quadrupeds

 

SOCIAL GROUP ORGANIZATION:  Fission-Fusion

• They have a flexible social organization, and live in harems of up to 25 individuals which periodically come together to form bands consisting of up to 200 animals.

 

PARENTAL CARE:  Mother is primary caregiver

• Parental investment in these animals has not been fully described, although it is likely to be similar to that seen in other polygynous primate species.

 

COMMUNICATION:

• visual:  displays of brightly colored posteriors and markings bordering their nasal passages

• vocal:  grunts and screams - the purpose of these sounds is not yet understood

 

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:  

Scent marking as a form of chemical communication:

• possess scent glands on the chest which are used for marking branches

 

ENDANGERMENT STATUS:  Endangered

Threats:

• habitat loss

• bushmeat hunting

• hunting as part of crop protection

 

To learn more about Mandrillus leucophaeus, visit the following websites:

1. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12753/0

2. http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/visit-the-zoo/primates-1254385523/monkeys-1254385523/mandrillus-leucophaeus

3. http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/drill/behav

4. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Mandrillus_leucophaeus/

 

Information and photographs compiled by F. Caraballo and D. Luna.