Crowned monkey. Blue monkey (lat.

Among the other animals that were lucky enough to escape the flood on the biblical ark were a pair of primates with an unusual coat color that gave the species its name: the blue monkey.

After a successful landing on Mount Ararat, they settled where it was always warm and there was plenty of food: in Africa. To see how the animals settled down, we will follow them.

Appearance

The fur of these beautiful animals is thick and quite soft. As mentioned above, they owe their name to their silver-gray, olive or brown color, sometimes with a bluish tint. The limbs are much darker. The face is also dark, bluish, and there is almost no hair on it.

Another distinctive feature is a light contrasting superciliary stripe of fur, reminiscent of a diadem, thanks to which another name for this species appeared - the crowned monkey. In young individuals, red-brown spots are visible on the fur, which gradually disappear as they grow older.

“Gentlemen” of this species proudly wear bushy sideburns. Their fangs are much larger than those of the “lady”, and they are larger in size than the weaker sex.

The length of the body, excluding the tail, in mature animals is 45-70 cm. Adult males weigh up to 8 kg, the weight of females reaches 5-6 kg. The tail significantly exceeds the length of the body and sometimes reaches 1 meter. This valuable “appendix” for every blue monkey is rightfully considered its fifth limb, since it provides it with invaluable assistance every day:

  • Helps jump to distant branches, acting as a rudder;
  • Serves as a balancer when moving in the crowns of trees;
  • Allows you to cling to branches and vines, minimizing the number of accidents from falling from a height.

Place and habitat

There are 7 subspecies of blue monkeys that can be found in eastern and central Africa, in the territories of Zimbabwe, Congo and Kenya, Angola and Uganda. They live in dense, moist evergreen and bamboo forests on high altitudes and rarely descend to the ground. They usually settle near bodies of water.

These primates are often targeted by hunters for their meat, which is popular among local tribes. In addition, they are considered pests because they can encroach on the harvests of local farmers and strip the bark from young trees.

Another factor that negatively affects the survival of this species of primates in wildlife, is the loss of habitat due to loss of forest area. They also have natural enemies, such as snakes, birds of prey and leopards.

But despite everything, the blue monkey population remains large and stable. Fortunately, they are not on the list of endangered species.

The lifespan of crowned marmosets is about 20 years in the wild. In captivity, the maximum age of the long-lived monkey was recorded, having lived for 37 years.

Lifestyle and habits. Community

Everyone who is lucky enough to meet a blue monkey in the wild notes their extraordinary timidity and caution. Seeing a person, animals immediately try to hide in a dense forest. They are active during the day, especially in the morning and evening. During hot daylight hours they rest, hiding in the shade.

They live in small flocks of 20-30 individuals, of which only one is a sexually mature male, who is also the leader; the rest of the flock consists of several females with their offspring of different ages. When young males become adults, they leave the pack to create a new one around them. Females, most often, remain close to their mother all their lives.

Life in a flock involves gradual socialization of the young. Scientists monitoring the life of these tribes note that babies try to keep their distance from adults, mature individuals, and willingly make contact with other cubs and young females who do not yet have their own offspring, and who show care for them.

Little monkeys dare to approach females of the older generation only together with their mother.

Being social animals, crowned monkeys actively use communication means, which can be divided into:

  • Visual
  • Vocal
  • Tactile

With the help of active facial expressions and gestures, monkeys have learned to demonstrate some emotions well. For example, when expressing aggression, they stare at the opponent, pulling their ears back and opening their mouths, although their teeth remain covered with their lips. They can “turn up the heat” and really scare the enemy by jumping in place and waving their arms.

Frequencies and melodies are used by blue monkeys to

  • Mark the territory occupied by the family
  • Warn relatives about the danger
  • Gather the dispersed squad
  • Show submission

An important component of the monkey hostel is grooming. So familiar to everyone, primates picking at each other’s fur solves several problems at once:

  • Hygiene procedures
  • Pacifying an aggressive relative
  • Establishing friendly relations with fellow tribesmen

Usually, cleaning is done by monkeys with a less significant role in the family, but they can also offer their backs for grooming, expressing their submission. There were cases when a monkey occupied a dominant position in a pack not due to strength, but by ingratiating itself with procedures that were pleasant to everyone.

Sometimes flocks of crowned monkeys form alliances with primates of other species, such as the red-tailed monkey. Since they look for food in different tiers of the forest, conflicts over division do not arise, but this way the monkeys are better protected from predators. In addition, by forming a coalition, they can oppose other primate clans.

Reproduction

Blue monkeys reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years of age. The mating season can be throughout the year, depending on the region, with single males fighting with family leaders to gain the opportunity to mate.

Females produce offspring once every 2 - 3 years. Pregnancy lasts 5 months and ends with the birth of one baby. Childbirth usually occurs at night, in trees.

The newborn, with his tenacious fingers, immediately clings to the fur on his mother’s body, which also helps him to hold on with the help of his tail (here’s another important role this fifth limb). The baby is already covered with fur and immediately opens its eyes. He receives mother's milk during the first six months of life.

Nutrition

Blue monkeys are omnivores. Their daily diet is dominated by plant foods, but animal proteins are also present. They are eating:

Being in the upper layer of the forest, they consume what grows on the trees. But sometimes during the day they descend to the ground, and there no snail or lizard will pass by. In search of food, the entire herd moves within its territory.

Have you ever met such a monkey? ??

  • Class: Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758 = Mammals
  • Infraclass: Eutheria, Placentalia Gill, 1872 = Placental, higher animals
  • Order: Primates Linnaeus, 1758 = Primates
  • Family: Cercopithecidae Gray, 1821 = Lesser monkeys, marmosets, marmosets, marmosets

Species: Cercopithecus mitis Wolf = Crowned [blue] monkey.

The blue (crowned) monkey is widespread in the east, center and south of the African continent in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, the territory of the former Zaire, South Africa, northwestern Angola, Burundi, Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The main part of its range is associated with the Congo River basin. The blue monkey prefers to live in humid, shady regions with plenty of water, living in rain-fed plains and mountain forests. The total area of ​​the range is approximately 3272 thousand km2. Of these, about 709 thousand km2 or 22% of the area are suitable habitats, 971,835 thousand km2, or 30% are moderately suitable, the remaining 49% of the blue monkey's area are unsuitable habitats for their life.

The face is almost naked, usually dark in color; the body has well-developed muscles. Fur is short, mostly Brown, and along the edge of the face and mantle located above the shoulders, it is grayer. The belly and limbs are black. The patch on the forehead is a “diadem”, light gray, whitish or yellowish. The blue monkey has well-developed cheek pouches, in which it stores and transports excess food eaten. There are nails on all fingers, and thumb opposed to the others.

The dental formula is 2/2 1/1 3/3 2/2=32 teeth. The canines of males are slightly larger than those of females. Typical body temperature is 37.5C.

The blue monkey is an arboreal species that rarely comes to the ground. They spend most of their time in the crowns of trees, where they find food, shelter and reliable shelter from enemies. A potential threat may be ground-based carnivorous mammals(in particular, some felines - leopard, etc.), tree snakes and large birds of prey.

Blue Monkey - social view: They live in groups ranging in size from 10 to 40 individuals, containing only one adult male. There is a clear sexual dimorphism in body size between males and females: males are much larger than females. Typical sizes: body 50 to 65 cm in length; the tail is almost the same length as the rest of the animal; The weight of females is slightly more than 4 kg, but males weigh up to 8 kg.

The females in the group are closely related to each other. They defend their territory from invasion by neighboring groups. The adult male usually remains with the group for at least several weeks to several years. Then he is replaced in the group by a younger and stronger sexually mature male. It is the male who has the full right to mate with all the females of the order as they enter estrus.

Female blue monkeys, like other representatives of the genus of marmosets, after entering estrus, demonstrate to the male their readiness to mate by showing their anal-genital area. It is the female who always initiates the beginning of mating relations.

During mating, the female exhibits a special facial expression, protruding her lower lip forward while her mouth remains closed, constantly looking over her shoulder at the male.

Females usually participate in breeding and produce young once every two years. The birth of the cubs is timed to coincide with the beginning of the warm, rainy season. The mother usually gives birth to one young at night. She immediately eats the placenta and carefully licks the baby's fur. Birth weight is approximately 360-370 g.

Babies are born after 5 months of pregnancy relatively well developed: with with open eyes and a body covered with fur. They are able to firmly hold on to the fur on their mother's chest during her wanderings through the forest and her feeding. The other females of the group are very interested in the newborn and are constantly trying to hold new babies. The female weans the cub from the breast at about 6 months, when it begins to feed on solid food. Mother care for the young becomes less frequent over time, especially after the first few months, but continues until the birth of the next offspring, usually after 2 years.

Niramin - Feb 3rd, 2016

The blue monkey or crowned monkey (Cercopithecus mitis) is a fairly large animal - a primate of the genus Cercopithecus, lives in humid, shady tropical African forests. Males reach 70 cm, are distinguished by long fangs and characteristic sideburns, and have long tail(up to 90 cm). Females are significantly smaller, body length up to 50 cm.

A special feature of this type of monkey is its bluish coat color. A strip of hair with a white border grows upright above the eyes, resembling a crown in appearance. Hence the second name of the species – crowned monkey.

In natural natural environment these animals form flocks, consisting overwhelmingly of females (up to 20-30 pieces). The herd may be headed by one, sometimes two males. Monkeys move along tree branches. Pregnancy lasts six months, there is one cub in the litter. Immediately after birth, the baby firmly grasps the fur and lives for six months under the protection of its mother. Adulthood occurs at 3.5 years.

Young females grow up and live in a herd with their mother, while males create their own herd. Sometimes monkeys create temporary communities in mixed herds with other species of monkeys, in particular chimpanzees.

Crowned monkeys usually feed on plant foods: fruits, shoots, leaves, but they can catch insects and amphibians, small mammals.

See photos of blue monkeys:


















Photo: Blue monkey.

Video: Samango monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis)

Video: Blue Monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) in Kakamega Forest Reserve

Video: Kilimanjaro BLUE MONKEYS in a state of alert – Lemosho Route, Tanzania

Video: Blue Monkeys

Video: Juvenile Kinda Baboons & Blue Monkeys Playing Together

Blue monkeys live in evergreen forests and bamboo groves in the mountains in the center and east African continent. These primates are not large sizes weigh 4-6 kg, their body length without tail is 50-65 cm. Their fur gray, occasionally with a blue tint, dark paws. Juveniles are distinguished by reddish-brown spots. The species is also known as the crowned marmoset due to the presence of a white strip of fur that grows above the animals' eyebrows. The face is bare, blue or dark. Males have white whiskers and their fangs are larger than those of females.




The name of this species of monkeys is related to their characteristic appearance: The hair on the head sticks out like a crown, and the chest on top and the face of adults are blue. Males are distinguished by developed white sideburns and large fangs. A stripe is also clearly visible on a bare face white fur, which grows above the eyebrows, the tips of the ears are white. The body length of the species is 40-70 cm, the tail is from 70 to 100 cm in length, the weight is in the range of 8-10 kg in males, and 4-5 kg ​​in females. The tail is very long, arched, slightly curved. The blue monkey's fur is thick and soft, the back and limbs are dark brown or blue-black, and the sides are grayish-brown. The hind legs are longer than the front legs.


The diet of blue monkeys includes fruits, as well as seeds, buds, foliage and even tree bark. In addition to plant foods, these monkeys can also eat insects, lizards, birds and small mammals. In general, their feeding habits and feeding habits are similar to other primates. They get food with one hand. While searching for her, a group of blue monkeys move around their area. Many farmers and foresters recognize representatives of this species as pests, as they can eat crops.


Isolated populations of the blue monkey are known in the forests of southern and eastern Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya, Congo). The species is found in evergreen forests and bamboo groves in the mountains of central and eastern Africa, from the Congo Basin east to the East African Rift and south to Angola and Zambia.

Common subspecies of blue monkey

For the blue monkey, there are from 6 to 17 subspecies, including:

  • Cercopithecus mitis mitis is a nominate subspecies found exclusively in Angola in Northern Lunda;


  • Cercopithecus mitis heymansi and Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni - live in the Congo;



  • Cercopithecus mitis botourlinii is a resident of the southern regions of Ethiopia, from Lake Tana to Lake Turkana;


  • Cercopithecus mitis opitsthosticus - found in the Congo up to the western shores of Lake Tanganyika, as well as in Zambia.



Sexual dimorphism in blue monkeys is manifested in the fact that males are larger in size than females, they have pronounced white whiskers on their faces, and their fangs are also larger.


The blue monkey is a very shy and cautious animal, leading an arboreal lifestyle. Spends almost all its time on the highest branches in the tree crowns. Forms large herds. Blue monkeys are most active in the mornings and evenings. In the hot afternoon they rest in the shade of dense branches. Group members willingly brush each other's fur, which strengthens the bonds between them.

A herd of blue monkeys usually consists of 10 to 30 females and one mature male, who is the leader. Young females often spend their entire lives with their mother, but males, upon reaching sexual maturity, always move to other herds in order to find one where they will become leaders. Each group or family of blue monkeys lives in its own, limited area, which is carefully protected from neighbors. But representatives of this species are also prone to forming mixed groups, for example, with chimpanzees.


Young blue monkeys become sexually mature at the age of 5 years. Mating season For each subspecies it depends on the specific region of residence. So, residents of humid tropical forests Mating usually occurs in the dry season; in other areas, for example, in the mountains, it can occur all year round. If several females in a herd come into heat at once, then single males are temporarily accepted into the herd. The duration of pregnancy is approximately 5-6 months, usually one baby is born. Female blue monkeys usually give birth every two years. They give birth on a tree at night. The newborn immediately grabs the fur on his mother’s belly, and she uses her long tail to help him hold on. For the first six months, the female feeds her offspring with milk. The baby quickly learns to climb on his mother’s back, and when he grows up a little, he begins to take short walks, learns to collect food, move independently along branches, and gets acquainted with relatives and group members. Young males leave family of origin as soon as they become sexually mature. If they fail to form their own harem, then they live alone. The lifespan of blue monkeys is between 20 and 30 years.


The population of blue monkeys today is quite stable and is not subject to threats to its existence.


  • A newborn baby blue monkey mostly sleeps, but as it grows it begins to actively explore life. Females hold it by the tail so that the baby cannot go very far.
  • Due to the fact that blue monkeys jump from branch to branch in dense forests, they move in the treetops much faster than if a person runs even as much as possible on the surface of the earth below.
  • Blue monkeys are not only very smart, but at the same time they are also friendly animals, which is why they are not only often kept in zoos, but are even kept as pets.

After a year-long investigation, BBC journalists discovered a network of traders of our closest relatives, chimpanzees, spanning most West and Central Africa. Infant chimpanzees are taken from the wild, often snatched from the arms of their deceased mothers, and then smuggled and sold to zoos and nurseries, and even as pets.

How do poachers work?

BBC News has revealed a brutal smuggling network spanning six countries that sells the poor great apes. The average price for one baby chimpanzee is about $12,500. BBC News reporters found that many animals end up in the infamous “blue room.”
This is the building where chimpanzees are prepared for resale and photographs are taken for potential buyers, always in front of the room's blue tiles. Many philanthropists had seen these photographs more than once, but no one knew in which country (let alone in which city) this building was located.

Results of joint work between the BBC and the police

The investigation established that the “blue room” was located in the city of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. As soon as it was confirmed that the traders and captured chimpanzees were there, Interpol and the local police were informed, whose officers then raided the building and arrested the criminals.

It also identified routes and tactics by which smuggled monkeys, using fake permits, were sent to the Middle East, Southeast Asia and China, where they were then sold to rich people and zoos.

Although disturbing details about this smuggling network are just coming to light thanks to a BBC investigation, the trade, which has left chimpanzees, as well as gorillas and bonobos, under threat, has been known for some time. Wildlife sanctuaries across Africa are filled with animals, most of which have been seized from traders and people who buy primates as pets.

The scale of the tragedy

The scale that trade has reached on the continent is truly impressive. In order to catch one baby chimpanzee, it is estimated that on average up to 10 adult animals are killed.
To make matters worse, only one baby chimpanzee out of five taken from the wild usually makes it to its final destination. The fact is that animals often die along the way from wounds inflicted on them during capture, or due to mistreatment by smugglers.

This means that for each chimpanzee living in a zoo or private collection, about 50 animals were killed. This horrific figure indicates the enormous scale that poaching has reached, which is largely ignored.

Is extinction inevitable?

The high price of chimpanzees is constantly pushing them closer and closer to extinction. Estimates show that if current rates of poaching continue, there will be no more chimpanzees left in the wild within a few decades. Are we willing to send our closest relatives, these living, intelligent creatures, into extinction due to demand for them as pets and status symbols?

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