Range:
Equatorial West Africa from southern Cameroon
Habitat:
Tropical rainforests, but extending into secondary deciduous forests
Diet:Wild: Omnivorous. Roots, tubers, fruit, insects, worms, frogs, snakes, small mammals, etc.
Zoo: Hi-fiber primate biscuits, leafy greens, vegetables and small amounts of fruit
Gestation:
~6 months
Litter:
Normally one; very rarely two
Life Span:
20 years
Description:
Mandrills are large monkeys, walking on four long legs, with males weighing up to 80 lbs, although females are typically 25-40lbs. They have an extremely short tail. Mandrills have brightly colored bottoms and they are covered with a dark brown/black coat. The face is unique: at the top are two close-set eyes, followed by a huge down-cast long nose ending in a covered mouth. In the male nose is red and bordered by blue patches, and it is reproduced on its buttock.
This monkey forages in groups ranging from 10 to as many as 90 individuals. Their day is spent finding food. While they are primarily terrestrial, they often use trees to sleep at night. They have a dominance hierarchy with old, large males at the top defending the group from other animals. Males defend the higher ranking females more fiercely than other females in the group.
Female mandrills become reproductively available until approximately 3 years old, while males do not appear to reproduce until they are closer to 10 years of age. Females cycle approximately every 35 days. Gestation is approximately 175 days and females typically produce an offspring every 19 months.
Did You Know?
The face of a male mandrill cannot be missed.
color of a male mandrill’s face comes from testosterone. If testosterone levels decline, the bright colors of the male fade away and his coloration resembles the coloring of a female.
