Mandrill

[edit] Guide Note

The Mandrill is a large, shy primate that lives only in rainforests.¹ It is listed as endangered on the US Federal List and is seen in Cameroon, Gabon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea.²

[edit] Fast Facts

1. Habitat: Rainforest, coastal forests, savannah³
2. Diet: Omnivorous¹
3. Size: 3 ft¹
4. Weight: 77 lbs¹
5. Group name: Troop¹
6. Gestation period: 6 months²
7. Age of maturity: 4 to 8 years⁴
8. Life span: 40 years in captivity (average)²
9. Endangered: Yes (US Federal List)²
10. Predators: Leopards, crowned hawk eagles, chimpanzees, snakes, humans⁵

The mandrill has a large head, short stubby tail and opposable thumbs enabling it to grasp tree limbs.² Its skin is blue and red on its face, which gets brighter when excited.¹ A young mandrill has dark fur for the first couple months of its life. It then sheds and grows the adult coat of fur. The mandrill has furry manes and golden bears with thick ridges on the nose. Females are smaller than males and tend to have more dull in color.⁴

The mandrill lives in groups. One group has around 20 members, lead by a dominant male with the boldest color.⁴ Another group has several males and females and can be as large as 200 members.³ A male mandrill will shake its head and shoulders when wanting to be groomed. It will also vocalize and show its teeth as a sign of friendliness. When posing a threat, a mandrill will yawn and show its teeth, along with lowering its head and spreading its arms.²