Golden Angwantibo

• Common Name: Golden Angwantibo
• Taxonomy Classification Year: 1902
• Monkey Size: 22 to 30 cm (8.7 to 11.9 in)
• Skin Color(s): Rose Gold
• Habitat: Forest, Rainforest
• Diet: Carnivorous (insectivorous)
• Native Countries: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

The golden angwantibo^[1] is a strepsirrhine primate of the Lorisidae family.

• It shares the Arctocebus genus with the Calabar angwantibo; they are commonly known as the golden pottos.
• Has this curious-looking little prosimian swallowed a bowling ball? No. But its burly physique suggests it likes the buffet table.
• Or perhaps the Golden angwantibo’s stooped posture contributes to this effect. The thick, shaggy fur covering this primate’s shoulders, back, and lanky limbs are reddish-gold.
• The frosted tips make one wonder if the Golden angwantibo has visited a rainforest barbershop.
• They are lighter “guard hairs” that protect the coat from moisture and abrasion. Cream-colored pelage drapes the underside of the prosimian.
• Large brown eyes and a long-pointed nose dominate the face. Darker fur encircles the eyes, and a band of white fur runs across the nose. Small, bare, scalloped ears protrude from each side of the head.

• Bärenmaki, meaning “lemur bear“, is the German name for the golden angwantibo due to its bear-like appearance. However, we see no resemblance.
• Excellent night vision thanks to an adaptation called the tapetum lucidum, a thin, light-reflecting membrane behind the eye’s retina, colloquially known as the “eye glare, ” allows these prosimians to navigate in the dark easily.
• The dense scrub and undergrowth of the forest offer them security, especially during the day when they curl up to sleep, hidden from predators in the tangle of vines.
• With long, narrow, downward-pointing snouts guided by a keen sense of smell, these prosimians are silent and stealthy when hunting insects. Still, they react with incredible speed and agility when reaching out to unsuspecting creatures.
• Before devouring the poisonous caterpillars, the Angwantibos use a strange technique. They “massage” the spine of the crawling insect, thereby removing poisonous hair follicles.