Black colobus

• Common Name: Black Colobus
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1838
• Monkey Size: 50 to 70 cm (19.7 to 27.6 in)
• Skin Color(s): Black
• Habitat: Rainforest
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Native Countries: Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo

The black colobus^[1], also known as satanic black colobus, is a species of Old-World monkey in the Colobus genus.

• The species occurs in a small area in west central Africa. Being the largest monkey species (with a head-to-body length of 50 to 70 cm and a long tail of about 80 cm), they have a slender build and calluses: hard skin pads on the posterior.
• There is minimal sexual dimorphism between the 2 sexes: adult males can weigh between 10 and 15 kg, while females weigh between 10 and 11 kg.
• The black colobus is covered in black fur in addition to its ears and face and has longer hair on its forehead and cheeks.
• Unlike other types of colobus monkeys, black colobus monkeys do not have white markings.
• Black Colobus monkeys live in the canopy layer of the rainforest.

The Black Colobus monkeys are mainly seed eaters who get nourishment from many plant sources including^[¶]:

• Persimmons (Diospyros)
• Butter tree (Pentadesma butyracea)
• African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)
• Boleko nut (Ongokea gore)
• African Teak (Milicia excelsa)
• African Nutmeg (Pycnanthus angolensis)

Common predators for the Black Colobus monkeys are Leopards (Panthera pardus), Crowned Eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) and humans^[¶].

• The black colobus is the oldest of the 5 recognized species in the genus Colobus and is said to have diverged 3 to 4 million years ago.
• The word “colobus” originated from Greek, meaning “mutilated“. All colobus monkeys have a short stump where the thumb would be.
• Black colobus monkeys live in multimale groups of 10 to 20 individuals.
• The species is territorial and emits loud calls to keep other groups away from the foraging area.
• These primates are diurnal and rest about 60 percent of their time. They spend the rest of the day foraging, socializing, and moving.