Eastern Black-and-white Colobus

Taxobox
name = Eastern Black-and-white ColobusMSW3 Groves|pages=168]
status = LR/lc
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
familia = Cercopithecidae
genus = "Colobus"
species = "C. guereza"
subspecies = "C. g. kikuyuensis"
trinomial = "Colobus guereza kikuyuensis"
trinomial_authority = Lönnberg, 1912

The Eastern Black-and-white Colobus ("Colobus guereza kikuyuensis") is a large, tree-dwelling African subspecies of the Mantled Guereza. The most striking feature of this Old World monkey is its luxurious black coat, ornamented with long fringes of white fur down each side. This large, conspicuous primate is a common sight through tropical Africa, especially in forested areas.

Eastern Black and White Colobus in the Wild

Colobus guereza is found across equatorial Africa, from Congo east to Ethiopia. Black and white colobus can adapt to any tropical, wooded habitat, including rain forest, dry forest, open woodlands, and river valleys, at altitudes from 0 to 9300 feet above sea level. Although Angola colobus are sometimes seen on the ground, they spend most of their time in the trees. They spend most of the day feeding, though they take time out for play, socialization, and mutual grooming.

Black and white colobus are strict herbivores. While they occasionally eat fruit, their diet consists primarily of tree leaves, a very low-calorie, nutrient-poor food. To survive on this poor diet, colobus have evolved multi-chambered stomachs similar to those of cows. In the first stomach, bacteria ferment the leaves, increasing the nutrient availability. In the second stomach, the partially digested leaves are broken down even further by enzymes and stomach acid. Because this digestive process takes so long and is so inefficient, up to a third of a colobus's weight may consist of the undigested leaves carried in its gut.

These primates live in social groups of 3 to 15 individuals. Each group has a single adult male, three or four adult females, and their offspring. Adult males that have not been strong enough to form their own troop may also travel together in all-male bachelor troops. Young animals are raised cooperatively by all troop members, and infants may nurse from any female in the troop. Troop members also cooperate to defend each other from predators or from potentially aggressive neighboring colobus troops. Because of these large, protective troops, black and white colobus have relatively few predators, though they may be hunted by eagles, leopards, and chimpanzees.

Females bear a single offspring every two years, after a 6 month gestation. The young are raised cooperatively by all members of their troop. Males mature at 4 years old, and females at 2 years old. Lifespan is 15 to 20 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity.

Conservation status

Though some local populations are decreasing in number, overall, this species is numerous and stable in the wild. Black and white colobus are hunted by humans for their meat and fur. Their striking pelt is traditionally used for wall hangings and ornamentation on dresses or other clothes throughout equatorial Africa.

Fun Facts

Baby black and white colobus are pure white in color for the first few weeks of their life.

Unlike most primates, colobus monkeys don't have thumbs, an adaptation that helps them move quickly through the trees.

References

*M Hutchins, editor. 2004. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Volume 14:Mammals III. Gale.