Mandrill (Mandrill sphinx)
Quick Facts:
Status: Threatened
Height: 3 ft
Weight: 77 lbs
Lifespan: 20 years
Habitat: Rain forests
Diet: Omnivore - fruits, roots, and animals
The mandrill is the largest and most colorful of all monkeys. Their easily identifiable red and blue faces, as well as colorful back sides become brighter when they get excited. They have long canine teeth that can be used for self-defense but baring them is typically a friendly gesture within their group.
Mandrills are primarily terrestrial primates living in the rain forests of equatorial Africa, forging on the ground for fruits, roots, and animals such as amphibians, insects, and reptiles. They have special pouches in their cheeks to store food for later consumption. They spend most of their time on the ground, but can climb trees and will to sleep.
The colorful monkey lives in patriarchal troops. A single male leads the group composed of several females and young. Groups may also join to make a larger group of almost 200 individuals with multiple males and females.
THREATS
The mandrill is considered a delicacy by many Africans and are hunted for bushmeat. They are continually threatened by the spread of agriculture and human settlement that restricts and fractures their habitat.
Source: National Geographic