16/09/2016
Cercopithecus erythrogaster
The White-throated Monkey, also known as the Red-bellied Monkey is a diurnal monkey that lives in trees of rainforests or tropical areas of Nigeria and Benin. The White-throated Monkey is usually a frugivore but insects, leaves and crops are also in its diet. It usually lives in small groups of 4 to 5 individuals however, some groups of 30 or more individuals have been discovered. Some male monkeys wander alone.
White-throated Monkeys are arboreal, living in moist tropical forest and the wettest parts of dry tropical forest, however they can also be found in secondary bush and old farmland. Males weigh from 3.5 - 4.5 kilograms and females weigh 2 - 4 kilograms.
Females give birth to one young, which is a factor of decreasing population. The White-throated Monkey was once considered extinct due to constant hunting for the fur of its unique red belly and white front legs. Yet, a small group was found near the Niger River in 1988. The White-throated Monkey is still considered an endangered species due to its decreasing numbers. Today, its territory is protected and regarded as a holy land, where hunting and logging is restricted.
It is one of the species that live in the Guinean Forests of the West Africa Bio diversity Hotspot. There are two subspecies of White-throated Monkey: Red-bellied Guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster erythrogaster) and Nigerian White-throated Guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster pococki)
