#guenon

Red-tailed Monkey Cercopithecus ascanius

A guenon monkey from central Africa. Although native to this region, it has spread north and south as well as it can survive in different habitats and under different conditions. Two red-tailed guenons will greet each other by touching their noses together, indicating affection or a willingness to play. Red-tailed monkeys are primarily fructivorous, but are considered omnivorous because they will eat leaves, flowers, or insects in times where fruit is scarce. As they forage, these monkeys gather their findings in the expandable cheeks of their mouths.

Diana Guenon Monkey Cercopithecus diana

An Old World monkey found in the high canopy forests in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and western Côte d'Ivoire, named for its white brow which is said to resemble the bow of the Roman goddess Diana.

Diana monkeys retreat to the upper levels of the trees at night, though they do not make nests, preferring to sleep on branches. They feed mainly on fruit, blossoms and leaves, as well as occasional insects and invertebrates.

White-throated Guenon Cercopithecus erythrogaster

A diurnal primate that lives on trees of rainforests or tropical areas of Nigeria and Benin. The white-throated guenon is usually a frugivore but insects, leaves, and crops are also in its diet. It usually lives in small groups of four to five individual monkeys.

Putty-Nosed Monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans)

Family: "Old World" Monkey Family (Cercopithecidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Near Threatened

Named for the distinctive white blotch over its nose, the Putty-Nosed Monkey is a small species of guenon (a diverse group of monkeys native to Sub-Saharan Africa) found across western Africa from Ghana to as far south as the DOC. Each species of guenon exhibits unique facial markings, and as there are many regions in which multiple guenon species coexist (with at least 5 other guenons occurring within the Putty-Nosed Monkey's range) it has been suggested that these distinctive facial features may serve to aid guenons in distinguishing members of their own species from those of related species. Typically found in humid forests habitats and particularly associated with forest edges, Putty-Nosed Monkeys feed on fruit, flowers, seeds and smaller animals and live in relatively small groups consisting of a single adult male, a group of adult females and their young offspring. When active members of this species are highly vocal, and studies examining their vocalisations have not only suggested that they string together multiple shorter calls to convey information through longer, more complex "sentences", but have also suggested that all guenon species seem to understand the meaning of one anothers' calls, implying the existence of a sort of "universal guenon language."

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Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey Cercopithecus petaurista

It is found in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, and possibly Senegal. it moves through the forest cautiously, seldom climbing to the high canopy but mostly frequenting the understorey layers and lianas. It forms social groups of about ten animals, usually one adult male, several adult females and their young. It feeds on leaves, fruit, flowers and insects, gathering its food and storing it in cheek pouches.