Geoffroy's Black And White Colobus

Some predators of ursine colobus monkeys are large raptors, such as crowned hawk eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus), leopards (Panthera pardus), and humans. Humans threaten these monkeys through habitat destruction, forest fragmentation, and hunting for meat and fur (Sai et al., 2006). Subsistence farming, commercial agriculture development, and selective logging have all contributed to the decline of this species (Marteinson, et al., 2005).

Known Predators:

• crowned hawk eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus)
• leopards (Panthera pardus)
• humans (Homo sapiens)

Colobus vellerosus was once considered part of the Colobus polykomos group, but has been considered a distinct species since 1983 (Primate Info Net, 2008). Of the five species of colobus, Colobus vellerosus is distinctive, with predominantly black fur and no white mantle (Fleagle, 1998). The face is black and naked and surrounded by a thick white outer ring of fur. Colobus vellerosus is also characterized by white areas on the thighs that vary in width and length. As in other species of colobus, infants are born with an all white fur coat, which starts to turn black at around three months of age. Also as in other species of colobus, C. vellerous has obsolete thumbs which are just short nubs with nails on them. Which is thought to be an adaptation for better movement through trees. The fingers are long and take the form of a hook to improve grip when grabbing onto branches (Sai, et al., 2006). In comparison to other species of colobus, they have slender bodies and ischial callosities, a hard thickened area of skin on the buttocks that allows comfortable sitting on branches (Estes, 1991). The tail of Colobus vellerosus differs from other species in coloration. Where most other species have predominantly black tails with a bushy white tip, Colobus vellerosus has an all white tail that is usually longer than the body. The weight range is 9.9 to 10.3 kg for males and 8.3 to 8.7 kg in females. Body length is 61 to 66 cm in males and 61 to 64 cm in females (Primate Info Net, 2008). Colobus species are distinguished from other Cercopithecinae by their lack of cheek pouches and their large salivary glands (Fleagle, 1998). They have highly evolved large stomach that is used in the process of breaking down cellulose. The stomach always contains undigested food and can constitute up to a quarter of an adult’s weight (Estes, 1991).

Range mass: 8.3 to 10.3 kg.

Range length: 61 to 61 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry ; polymorphic

Sexual Dimorphism: male larger

Longevity in Colobus vellerosus is not reported in the literature. However, other colobus monkeys can live into their 20's in the wild and to about 36 years in captivity. Infant mortality rates are reported to be high.

Ursine colobus monkeys are forest dwellers inhabiting lowland forest, deciduous gallery forest, and savanna forest up to 350 meters elevation above sea level.

Range elevation: 350 (high) m.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest

Other Habitat Features: riparian

Colobus vellerosus is also known by the common names: white-thighed colobus, Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus, white-thighed black-and-white colobus. This species was previously considered a part of the Colobus polykomos group.

Ursine colobus monkeys are social primates and have many vocal, tactile, and visual forms of communication. All Colobus species use a roaring call to advertise territory and location, it resembles a low "rur, rur, rur" noise (Fleagle, 1998). Colobus monkeys also have alarm calls that alert group members when predators have been seen. Alarm calls are characterized as "snorting" and are made by all members of the group except infants. As in other primates, mutual grooming is important to social cohesion ursine colobus monkeys and pheromones and scents aid in recognizing sexual state, age, and status of individuals.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

Populations of ursine colobus monkeys have declined throughout their relatively small range. These monkeys are threatened by habitat destruction and are hunted regularly by a growing human population. They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, protected under Appendix II of CITES, and are protected under Class A of the African convention. Populations have become rare even in national parks and declines of 30% in the last 30 years have been estimated. These are now considered rare monkeys in Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Ghana.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable

There are no known adverse effects of Colobus vellerosus on humans. Like all primates, they may transmit disease to humans, but this has not been reported in C. vellerosus and there is little contact between their populations and humans.

Ursine colobus monkeys are hunted for their fur and meat. They may play a role in forest regeneration through seed dispersal.

Positive Impacts: food ; body parts are source of valuable material

Ursine colobus monkeys are prey to some top predators in their forest ecosystems. They may also help to disperse the seeds of forest trees that they eat.

Ursine colobus monkeys are mainly folivorous and have a diet that consists of immature leaves and seeds. They also occasionally eat fruits, insects, and termite clay (Primate Info Net, 2008).

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Frugivore , Granivore )

Colobus vellerosus is currently found in six countries throughout West Africa; Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and Cote d’Ivoire.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

As in other species of colobus monkeys, Colobus vellerosus is polygynous. There seem to be no physical characteristics that make it evident when a female is in estrus (Teichroeb and Sicotte, 2008).

Mating System: polygynous

There is relatively little information on reproduction in Colobus vellerosus. Ursine colobus monkeys give birth to a single infant. Mating is evidently not strictly seasonal as births occur year round. More births occur around the rainy season due to abundance of vegetation, which allows the mother to provide plenty of nutrients to her infant (Teichroeb and Sicotte, 2008). Breeding occurs in 20 month intervals and gestation is about 5 to 6 months (Teichroeb and Sicotte, 2008). Time to weaning is not reported, but is from 8 to 15 months in other colobus monkeys. Females mature by four years of age and males by six years of age.

Breeding interval: Breeding occurs in 20 month intervals.

Breeding season: Births can occur year round, but are concentrated in the wet season.

Range number of offspring: 1 (low) .

Range gestation period: 5 to 6 months.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 4 years.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 6 years.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous

Female ursine colobus monkeys nurse, protect, and care for their young to independence. Other members of the group care for and handle infants as well. Members of the group handle infants carefully, but there is still a high mortality rate among infants (Brent et al., 2007). Females remain in their natal group. Male parental care is not reported in Colobus vellerosus.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); post-independence association with parents

Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus lives in multi-male, multi-female groups, with an average of 16 members, including up to four adult males (2) (5). The home range is around 50 hectares. Little is known about the mating behaviour and reproductive biology of this colobus except that females give birth to a single offspring (5). Diurnal and arboreal, this species prefers to stay within the trees, but will travel across the ground between forest patches in savannah habitats. The diet consists mainly of leaves, fruit and seeds (2). As in all colobus species, this monkey has a complex compartmented stomach to assist in the breakdown of tough leaf material (6).

This species' listing under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) regulates its commercial trade across international borders (3). There are no captive populations at present but this colobus is known to occur in 15 protected areas (5). In order to better conserve Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus, priorities must focus on preventing or managing hunting, and on protecting suitable forest habitats from further degradation and destruction (7).

Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus is predominantly black, displaying the least white fur out of all the black-and-white colobus monkeys (4). Markings occur in the form of a broad, snowy white beard and bushy white facial fringe, a distinctive white strip on the thigh and a white slightly-tufted tail (2) (5). It is thought that the black and white patches help break up the body outline in the shadowy forest canopy (4). Infants are born with a completely white natal coat, and begin to change colour at around three months (6). The body is slender, with a long tail, and prominent rump callosities (bare patches of tough thickened skin on the buttocks) (7). Like other African colobus, the thumbs are reduced to small nubs, but the remaining fingers are long and form a hook-like hand well adapted to gripping branches (4). This species was previously considered a subspecies of king colobus (Colobus polykomos), but was elevated to a distinct species in 1983 (5) (8).

Lowland rainforest, deciduous gallery forest and savannah forest, up to 350 m elevation (2) (5).

Found in West Africa from the Ivory Coast to west Nigeria (8), in Benin, Ghana, eastern Ivory Coast, western Nigeria and Togo (5).

Classified as Vulnerable (VU A1cd+2cd) on the IUCN Red List 2004 (1), and listed on Appendix II of CITES (3).

The major threats that face black-and-white colobus species are habitat destruction and hunting (4) (7). Habitat destruction and fragmentation has occurred as a result of subsistence farming, commercial agricultural development and selective logging (7). Hunting pressure on colobus monkeys for their meat, fur and for the pet trade has also been immense. Many African people have traditionally worn colobus skins for ornamentation and, overseas, skins have been used for trimming coats or made into rugs or wall hangings. The overseas demand was particularly high in the late 19th century, during which one to two million colobus were killed. Today, tourists in some parts of Africa continue to contribute to the decline in these animals by buying souvenirs made from their fur (4). However, this practice applies more to other black-and-white colobus, such as the East African C. guereza, with Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus hunted more for its meat than for its pelt (5).

The ursine colobus (Colobus vellerosus), also known as the white-thighed colobus, Geoffroy's black-and-white colobus, or the white-thighed black-and-white colobus, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae.