Crested Mona Monkey

The Crested Mona Monkey stands out in the canopy with its golden-yellow belly and a small tuft of fur on its forehead. This medium-sized primate has a brown coat flecked with grey, while its face is mostly dark blue with a pink muzzle and black stripes near the eyes. You can find them in the mature lowland rainforests of west central Africa, ranging from Nigeria and Cameroon down to Angola and east into the Congo. They prefer primary or secondary forests with thick upper canopies and clear ground below, though they also inhabit flooded forests.

Living in groups of 8 to 20, these monkeys are led by a single dominant male who lives with several females and their young. They are incredibly vocal, using inflated sacs to project sounds. The adult males produce a booming call that carries over 200m to signal their status, while a sharp hacking sound warns the group of danger. These agile jumpers often travel with other monkey species to better spot birds of prey. While they mainly eat fruit, they also supplement their diet with insects and some leaves.

Because only dominant males lead groups, many other males live solitary lives. Some are so isolated that they join groups of black colobus monkeys, forming bonds that may cause them to lose their chance to mate with their own kind. In the north, these monkeys are known to migrate long distances to find seasonal food. Females typically give birth to one infant at any time of the year after a pregnancy lasting about five months.