IUCN Status: Least Concern

There are 5 species and various subspecies of black and white colobus found in Central and East Africa, the ranges of which overlap in many areas. Unlike other primate species, colobus monkeys have four hooklike digits and no thumbs; hence, the name colobus, derived from the Greek word “mutilated.”

 

Colobus Facts

    01
    Diet

    By living in tropical and subtropical habitats and being leaf-eaters, colobus monkeys have an advantage over fruit-eating primates through year-round access to their primary food source. They are also known to eat flowers, bark and soil, which their complex stomachs, enlarged salivary glands and specialised anaerobic bacteria help them to digest.

    ©Roelof Schutte

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  • 01
    Diet

    The diets of colobus monkeys consist mainly of buds, leaves and a little fruit. Often the leaves they eat have little nutritional value, meaning they must consume large quantities to survive. Their four-chambered stomachs allow them to process foods such as unripened fruit, mature leaves and toxic foliage that other types of monkey would find inedible.

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    • 02
    Behaviour

    Relatively small troop sizes and the fact that colobus monkeys are territorial means that there is reduced competition for food and conflict amongst troop members, especially when compared to other species of monkey. Females remain in their birth groups for the entirety of their lives, whereas mature males must migrate in order to reproduce.

    ©Roelof Schutte

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  • 02
    Behaviour

    As highly arboreal species, colobus troops rarely leave the canopy, springing between branches, which they utilise as trampolines to jump distances of up to 50 ft (15 m). Troops normally consist of 5 to 15 individuals, containing mostly females, their all-white infants and presided over by a dominant male.

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    • 03
    Physical Characteristics

    The particularly long coat of the colobus is also believed to act like a parachute as it traverses the canopy, slowing it down safely between leaps. Adult colobus monkeys weigh 11 to 30 lbs (4 to 14 kg) and can be up to 30 inches (75 cm) long.

    ©Adam Keifer

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  • 03
    Physical Characteristics

    The long black furs of these monkeys are flanked by horseshoes of white that join across the lower back. The hair around the face and their tasselled, nonprehensile tails are also bright white. Colobus monkeys are famed for flaunting these elegant adornments as they relax in the treetops, all 5 species being relatively mellow primates.

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HABITAT

Colobus monkeys typically live deep in various types of forest including montane, mopane and gallery forests, as well as bamboo stands. Unlike other species of primate, such as baboons, they do not venture into areas of savannah. Habitat destruction and fragmentation make it more difficult for these monkeys to survive.

 

An image of colobus monkey jumping from tree to tree

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Frequent Asked Questions

A. Colobus monkeys are unique because they have a reduced or absent thumb, which allows them to move swiftly and gracefully through the trees using a hand-over-hand motion. Their striking black-and-white fur and elegant movements make them one of Africa’s most distinctive primates.

A. Colobus monkeys mainly eat young leaves, fruits, and flowers. Their complex, multi-chambered stomachs allow them to digest fibrous vegetation that other primates cannot, giving them an important role in the forest ecosystem.

A. Yes, some species of colobus monkeys are considered endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting. In Virunga National Park, conservation efforts focus on protecting their forest homes.

A. Colobus monkeys live in tropical rainforests across central and eastern Africa. In Virunga, they are often spotted in the tall trees of the Park’s montane forests, moving gracefully in small social groups.

A. Colobus monkeys help maintain forest health by dispersing seeds and consuming leaves, which encourages new plant growth. Their feeding habits make them important contributors to biodiversity in Virunga’s forests.