Udzungwa Red Colobus

• Common Name: Uzungwa Red Colobus
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1900
• Monkey Size: 61 to 61 cm (24 to 24 in)
• Skin Color(s): White and black
• Habitat: Rainforest, mountain, grassland
• Diet: Herbivorous
• Native Countries: Tanzania

The Udzungwa red colobus^[1] (Piliocolobus gordonorum), also called the Iringa red colobus or the Uzungwa red colobus is endemic to Tanzania.

• It is endemic to the riparian and montane forests of the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania. The most distinctive feature of the Udzungwa red colobus is the red cap on its head.
• The brown tuft of hair contrasts sharply with the rest of the monkey’s body, often white on the belly (ventral side) and black on the back (dorsal side).
• Their faces are covered with mostly black fur and scattered pink spots on the snout.
• Not all colobus monkeys have real thumbs. Instead, there’s just a little knot where his thumb would be. The word “Colobus” comes from the Greek word “cut” or “mutilate” referring to the lack of a thumb.
• However, colobus monkeys compensate for this with their 4 hook-like fingers.
• This hand structure makes it easier for the colobus to quickly jump from branch to branch. Their long tails are non-prehensile and primarily used for balance when walking through branches.

• Uzungwa red colobus monkeys are considered the most arboreal of all African primates, leaving only the comfort of trees when necessary.
• Udzungwa red colobus monkeys live in groups of 20-40 individuals. Some groups count to 81, while other monkeys walk around alone.
• Male species tend to stay in their natal group for life and form strong social bonds with each other. However, after that, they will usually leave to form their own group.
• All species of Udzungwa red colobus monkeys are very territorial and often engage in fierce battles with neighboring troops.
• These monkeys are often suspicious of newcomers. So before a single monkey joins a new group, it can spend several months tracking and spying on the target audience to see if it will be accepted.