Details
Mandrillus leucophaeus
A large forest monkey restricted to southeastern Nigeria, Cameroon, and Bioko Island. Males have dark faces and bright rump coloration.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Drills live in lowland rainforest, montane forest, and moist secondary forest. Continuous forest and usable understory are important.
They have robust bodies, dark faces, and short tails. Adult males are much larger than females and develop vivid red and purple rump colors.
They are diurnal and spend much time on the ground in large groups. In dense forest, they travel while foraging and climb trees when alarmed.
They eat fruit, seeds, leaves, fungi, insects, and small animals. Fruit-heavy diets can make them seed dispersers.
Females bear single infants within social groups. Young are carried by mothers and later learn group relationships through play and contact.
The small range, forest loss, and hunting pressure make the drill one of the more conservation-sensitive African primates.
