Mandrill Monkey - saveforforest

Mandrill

The most brightly colored monkey of the entire order of primates and even among mammals. Mandrill, or sphinx (Latin Mandrillus sphinx) - a species of primates from the monkey family.  Along with drills, it is included in the genus of mandrils.

Taxonomy

Latin name	Mandrillus sphinx
English name	Mandrill
Class	Mammals (Mammalia)
Squad	Primates
Family	Monkeys (Cercopithecidae)
Genus	Mandrill (Mandrillus)

 

The genus unites mandrils and drills similar to them, less bright monkeys, but more timid and even rarer.

View and man

African tribes have tense relationships with mandrills. This is due to the fact that these monkeys often go to cultivated fields, partially eat the crop, partially trample it, and can even visit villages. And although mandrills do not prey on humans or cattle, their curiosity combined with aggressiveness often leads to conflict. People are afraid of them and prefer to give up a yard or field to be torn to pieces, rather than drive out looters. African tribes can see elements of a coloring similar to the face of a mandrill.

The main reason for the decline in the number of mandrils is the destruction of their habitats. Some tribes shoot mandrils for food.

Mandrills take root well in zoos and always attract attention with bright colors and active behavior.

Spread

Mandrill is a species distributed in West Africa - South Cameroon, Gabon, Congo. It lives in primary and secondary rain forests, sometimes found in rocky areas. Rarely goes into the savannah.

Appearance

Mandrills are the brightest colored monkeys. On most of the body, the coat is brownish-gray, on the stomach is white. Males have a bright yellow beard, chin, and even the upper chest. The nostrils and the back of the nose are bright red. From the nostrils to the eyes are strips of swollen blue skin, separated by narrow gaps. But the back of the body looks especially expressive. In the sacral region, the dark color is interrupted, light wool grows here, while the hips are painted in red, blue and purple, creating amazingly beautiful transitions between themselves. Females and young animals are not so bright. They have a pale blue muzzle and a light beard. The coat is olive brown agouti, lighter on the lower body and back of the thighs.

Mandrill’s head is large, with an elongated muzzle and a heavy lower jaw. This monkey has large teeth, especially fangs, which indicate the ability to kill large prey. The eyes are relatively small and set close. The front and hind limbs are almost the same length, and when walking the body is held horizontally. The tail is short. Mandrills are also the largest of all non-human apes. Males are much larger than females, their body length is about 80cm, females - 55-57cm; male height at withers - up to 55 cm, tail length 7 cm. Male weight - 36 kg (sometimes up to 54 kg), females - 13 kg.

Diet and Feeding Behavior

Mandrils are omnivorous, they feed on fruits, seeds, leaves, bark, nuts (92%), studies have shown that 113 plant species are included in their diet. They also eat invertebrates (ants, termites, grasshoppers) and small vertebrates (lizards, rodents), as well as bird eggs. However, unlike their close “relatives” of baboons, mandrills do not prey on large animals (such as cubs of antelopes).

These monkeys collect forage both on the earth, and on trees. Several families can come to places with an abundance of feed at the same time, forming temporary clusters of 100 or more individuals.

Lifestyle & Social Organization

Mandrils are active during daylight hours. In the morning they go in search of food, examine the grass, driftwood, turn over stones. Eat food on the spot, or climb trees. The periods of feeding throughout the day alternate with periods of rest, when the monkeys brush each other's wool, play, and find out the relationship. Long movements usually occur along rivers in the forest without undergrowth. For the night, mandrills climb trees.

The social life of these monkeys and territorial behavior are different from other baboons. A group of mandrils, consisting of one adult male, 5-10 adult females and several cubs, uses an area of ​​about 40-50 square meters. km Sometimes, temporarily, several such groups can merge into one large one. Strict patriarchy reigns within the group. The leader occupies a dominant position, and the rest of the group obediently obey him. He not only leads his family, but also monitors the relationships between its members. In case of disobedience, he is quite aggressive, and with an encroachment on the role of leader, a fierce fight can ensue. Young males, having matured, leave the parent group, joining themselves like bachelors. Semi-adult and adult males that do not have females are kept alone.

Mandrils are the only Old World monkeys that have skin glands that secrete an odor secret. They use this secret to mark territory.

Vocalization

The males have a two-phase loud grunt, which stimulates the group to move and protect the young.

Breeding breeding offspring

The mating season from July to October is the drought season. The babies are born from December to April - the time most favorable for feeding offspring.

All baboons are distinguished by the presence of areas of “sexual skin” in the anogenital area. The color of this skin depends on the level of sex hormones in the blood; therefore, in adults, the red color of “sex skin” becomes even brighter during the mating season. In females, the volume and size of the “sexual skin” changes depending on the stage of the sexual cycle.

Mandrils are polygamous, the leader mates with all adult females in the group, while the female cannot have another chosen one. Thus, all the cubs that are born in the family are the descendants of one male. He holds leadership until he can defend his group and be replaced by another, younger and stronger male. The leader always has “beloved” wives in the family and those whom he pays attention to only from time to time.

Pregnancy lasts 8 months, one cub is born. Immediately after birth, the female gently presses the cub to her, applying it to her nipple. After a few weeks, the calf itself can hold on tightly to its mother’s coat, sitting on its back. Only in the third year of life, the cub becomes independent, but returns to his mother for a night's rest.

Maturity in females occurs at 39 months, in males somewhat later.

Life span

Under favorable conditions, live 40-50 years.

Life History at the Zoo

Animals were obtained by us more than 10 years ago from various European zoos. Now at the exposition you can see several adult mandrils (one male + females) and cubs. Females are a mother and her two adult daughters. Mandrills are temperamental primates, and in order to improve relationships in the group, they were placed in two communicating aviaries.

At the Moscow Zoo, mandrils have three meals a day:

·         Breakfast (various fruits, crackers),

·         Lunch (cottage cheese, cereals, nuts, dried fruits),

·         Dinner (vegetables, meat, eggs).