Tag: family

White-beaked dolphin

White beaked dolphin

The white-beaked dolphin  is a marine mammal belonging 

to the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins) in the sub order Odontoceti (toothed whales). Their distribution is shown in the map.

The white-beaked dolphin is endemic to the cold temperate and subarctic waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, most commonly in seas less than 1,000 m (3,300 ft) deep. Due to the fact they are not fully adapted to Arctic conditions, they are more vulnerable to predators, most notably polar bears. Within this wider region, white-beaked dolphins are most commonly found in four locales: on the Labrador Shelf close to southwestern Greenland, around Iceland, off the northern and eastern coasts of Britain, and off the coast of Norway. In the Faroe Islands between Iceland and the United Kingdom the White-beaked dolphin is at risk of being hunted during drive catches of the long-finned pilot whales. They may also be incidentally trapped in the purse-sein and trawl nets of the area. There are no recognised subspecies.

The dolphin may easily be misidentified as the Atlantic white-sided dolphin, although the white-beaked is commonly found further north. The white-beaked dolphin is also typically larger, and does not have yellow streaks on its side.

Below is a video (no sound) of them filmed under water off the coast of the UK. Northern parts of the UK have populations, including Lyme bay and areas around the hebrides.

They are thought to number 100,000, so are listed as least concern.

Long-finned Pilot Whale

Long-finned pilot whale

The long-finned pilot whale is not actually a whale at all. Instead it is a large species of oceanic dolphin. It shares the genus Globicephala with the short-finned pilot whale (as you will see on the whale and dolphin page). Long-finned pilot whales are known as such because they have unusually long pectoral fins. Pilot whales get their name from the original belief that there was a “pilot” or lead individual in their groups. The name for the genus, Globicephala is derived from a combination of Latin (“globe”) and Greek kephale (“head”). The specific name is Greek for “black”. This species has also earned the nickname of “pothead whale” in some places because the shape of its head reminded early whalers of black cooking pots.

There is sexual dimorphism in the species. Females grow to a maximum length of up to 6m (20ft), and a maximum weight of up to 2,500kg (5,500lb). Males are significantly larger at up to 7.6 m (25ft) in length, and weigh up to 4,500kg (9,900lb). This makes the long-finned pilot whale the second largest member of the dolphin family, behind the Killer whale (Orcinus Orca).The long-finned pilot whale is top of the list of animals by number of neurons more neocortical neurons than any mammal studied to date, in fact having almost twice as many as humans.

While they can bee seen in groups of several thousand, they are generally an amalgamation of a number of smaller groups. Generally they belong to pods that lie in size from 20-150, with individual family groups of 8-10 adding together to make this group.

 They make a variety of noises, as well as using echolocation in water too murky to use their eyes. In deep dives, the females on either end appear to make the decisions.

They are Considered least concern, with a north atlantic population of around 780,000 though this includes short-finned pilots whales as it is hard to tell them apart.

Below, you will find a video of these animals. Below that, you will find any articles on this subject that have been written or will be. Below that, I will add any links that will allow you to see this species in the wild.

Spinner Dolphin

Spinner dolphin

The spinner dolphin (also known as the long-snouted dolphin (distinguishing it from the Clymene dolphin – which is often called the short snouthed spinner dolphin) is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its spinning  along its length, as it leaps from the water. It is a member of the family Delphinidae of toothed whales.

The four named subspecies are:

  • Eastern spinner dolphin, found from the tropical eastern Pacific.
  • Central American or Costa Rican spinner dolphin, also found in the tropical eastern Pacific.
  • Gray’s or Hawaiian spinner dolphin, from the central Pacific Ocean around Hawaii but represents a mixture of broadly similar subtypes found worldwide.
  • Dwarf spinner dolphin, first found in the Gulf of Thailand.

The species, though, displays greater variety than these subspecies might indicate. A hybrid form characterized by its white belly inhabits the eastern Pacific. Other less distinct groupings inhabit other oceans.The species name comes from the Latin word for “long-beaked.”

Spinner dolphins are small cetaceans with a slim build. Adults are 129–235 cm long and weigh 23–79 kg. This species has an elongated rostrum and a triangular or subtriangular dorsal fin. Spinner dolphins generally have three colours, one on the dorsal fin, one on the underside and one on the upper-side. Also, a dark band runs from the eye to the flipper, bordered above by a thin, light line. However, the spinner dolphin has more geographic variation in form and coloration than other cetaceans. In the open waters of eastern Pacific, dolphins have relatively small skulls with short rostra. A dwarf form of spinner dolphin occurs around southeast Asia. In these same subspecies, a dark dorsal cape dims their tripartite colour patterns Further offshore, subspecies tend to have a paler and less far-reaching cape.] In certain subspecies, some males may have upright fins that slant forward.[8] Some populations of spinner dolphin found in the eastern Pacific have backwards-facing dorsal fins, and males can have dorsal humps and upturned caudal flukes.

The spinner dolphin lives in nearly all tropical and subtropical waters between 40°N and 40°S. The species primarily inhabits coastal waters, islands, or banks. However, in the eastern tropical Pacific, spinner dolphins live far from shore. Some studies suggest they use different areas at different times of the year.

The spinner dolphin feeds mainly on small mesopelagic fish, squids, and sergestid shrimps, and will dive 200–300 m to feed on them. Spinner dolphins of Hawaii are nocturnal feeders and forage in deep scattering layers, which contain many species. The dwarf spinner dolphin may feed mostly on benthic fish in reefs and shallow water. Off Oahu, Hawaii, spinner dolphins forage at night and cooperatively herd their prey into highly dense patches. They swim around the prey in a circle and a pair may swim through the circle to make a catch. Spinner dolphins are in turn preyed on by sharks. Other possible predators include the killer whale, the false killer whale, the pygmy killer whale and the short-finned pilot whale. They are susceptible to parasites, and are known to exhibit both external ones like barnacles and remoras as well as internal parasites.


Due to the spinner dolphin foraging and feeding at night, in certain regions, such as Hawaii and northern Brazil, dolphins spend the daytime resting in shallow bays near deep water. Spinner dolphins rest as a single unit, moving back and forth slowly in a tight formation but just out of contact with one another. These resting behaviours are observed for about four to five hours daily. During rest periods, spinner dolphins rely on vision rather than echolocation. At dusk, they travel offshore to feed. They travel along the shore during foraging trips, and the individuals that occupy the same bay may change daily. Some individual dolphins do not always go to a bay to rest; however, in Hawaii, dolphins do seem to return to the same site each trip.

Spinner dolphins live in an open and loose social organization. The spinner dolphins of Hawaii live in family groups, but also have associations with others beyond their groups. Mothers and calves form strong social bonds. Spinner dolphins seem to have a promiscuous mating system, with individuals changing partners for up to some weeks. A dozen adult males may gather into coalitions. Vocalizations of spinner dolphins include whistles, which may be used to organize the school, burst-pulse signals, and echolocation clicks. The spinner dolphin has a 10-month gestation period, and mothers nurse their young for one to two years. Females are sexually mature at four to seven years, with three-year calving intervals, while males are sexually mature at seven to 10 years. Spinner dolphins live for about 20-25 years old. Breeding is seasonal, more so in certain regions than others.

Although most spinner dolphins are found in the deeper waters offshore of the islands, the rest of the Hawaiʻi population has a more coastal distribution. During daytime hours, the island-associated stocks of Hawaiian spinner dolphins seek sanctuary in nearshore waters, where they return to certain areas to socialize, rest, and nurture their young.

They get their name for their spinning jumps, a spinner dolphin comes out of the water front first and twists its body as it rises into the air. When it reaches its maximum height, the dolphin descends back into the water, landing on its side. A dolphin can make two to seven spins in one leap; the swimming and rotational speed of the dolphin as it spins underwater affects the number of spins it can do while airborne. These spins may serve several functions. Some of these functions are believed by experts to be acoustic signalling or communication. Another reason is to remove ectoparasites such as remoras. Dolphins may also make nose-outs, tail slaps, flips, head slaps, “salmon leaps”, and side and back slaps.

The protected status of spinner dolphins are CITES Appendix II and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) protected throughout its range as well as MMPA depleted in its eastern stock. Tens of thousands of spinner dolphins, mostly eastern and white-bellied varieties, were killed in the 30 years after purse seine fishing for tuna began in the 1950s; The process killed probably half of all eastern spinner dolphins. They have also been contaminated by pollutants such as DDT and PCBs. Spinner dolphins, as with other species affected by ETP tuna purse-seine fishing, are managed nationally by the coastal countries and internationally by the IATTC. The IATTC has imposed annual stock mortality limits on each purse seine and promulgated regulations regarding the safe release of dolphins. The eastern tropical Pacific and Southeast Asian populations of the spinner dolphin are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), since they have an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co-operation organized by tailored agreements. In addition, the spinner dolphin is covered by Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MoU) and the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Conservation of the Manatee and Small Cetaceans of Western Africa and Macaronesia (Western African Aquatic Mammals MoU). Spinner dolphins are susceptible to disease and two of the recorded diseases within them are toxoplasmosis and cetacean morbillivirus. The number of cases reported however is fairly low in the species.

Spinner dolphins in Hawaii receive multiple daily visits to their near-shore resting grounds, with boats taking people out daily to snorkel and interact with the local dolphin population. Such activities are increasingly coming under criticism on the grounds of possible harm to the dolphins, and efforts are being made both to educate the public in order to minimise human impact on the dolphins, and to bring in regulations to govern these activities. In 2023, 33 swimmers were arrested for reportedly harassing dolphins off the coast of the Big Island of Hawaii. The swimmers reportedly broke federal law by swimming within 45 meters (50 yards) of the dolphins. The ban went into effect in 2021 due to dolphins not getting enough rest during the day to forage for food at night. The swimmers were caught by drone footage pursuing the dolphins as they tried to escape.

We are eager to work with people who run boats to see these animals – provided they are run with due care for the animals. Do get in touch, or fill in a form you will find in ‘List your wild place’ at the top of the page (or click here).

All rhino species of the world

Javan Rhino
greater indian one horned rhino
Sumatran Rhino
White Rhino
Black Rhino

Rhino have been hit hard in the last few decades. These species are all of the currently surviving species of wild rhino. Indeed, no species of rhino have been lost in modern times – in recent times the woolly rhino was lost. Further back, there are dozens of rhino species which are only known from fossils, with as many as 45-50 different species in the Americas alone.

There are links for the black and white rhino species, as these are found in the savannah ecosystems that we have listed, however, we will add more over time as we make contact with people in the field.

Aardwolf

Aardwolf

The aardwolf is the smallest member of the Hyaenidae family, as you can see from the map, it is a species with two separated populations, one in East Africa and one in Southern Africa. It is insectivorous, and exclusively nocturnal, and is generally thought of as one of the harder animals to see in the wild. If incredibly lucky, you can see them feeding alongside Aardvarks, and even Pangolins, but this is rare.  They favour open dry plains and savannahs.

Looking at first glance rather similar to a thin striped hyena, but with a black mane running from its neck, down its back, it can raise this during a confrontation. 

As it ages, it can loose its teeth, however, due to the softness of most insects, this is not the death sentence that it is in many wild animals.

They will defend a territory from others, that covers 1-4 square km, during the breeding season, but are solitary the rest of the time. Both sexes mark their territory, and they will maintain as many as 10 dens throughout their territory, giving them a nearby bolt-hole should danger approach.

They are careful not to destroy a nest that they raid, and will remember where they are, so that they can return for another meal a few months later.

They generally have a density of 1 per square km at most (though this is far higher than animals like lions.

While some farmers mistakenly kill them, thinking that they threaten their livestock, their diet of insects is often good for the farm animals. Their hide is worth a little.

Below is a video of this species and below this is a list of any articles that mention this species. When we have more contacts, you will find them below the news section.

hyaenidae Family

Spotted Hyena (Tim Welby, taken in the Kruger national park)
Brown hyena Bernard Dupot
Striped hyena
Aardwolf

Hyenidae Family

As the 5th smallest mammal family, this is indeed small. Furthermore, each surviving species comes from a separate genus.

Fossils have been found for around 100 further Hyaenidae, so clearly at one time this family was far bigger. One of the best known extinct species is the cave hyena which lived in Europe – which was pretty closely related to the spotted hyena that is now found in Africa.

Black Colobus Group and the Olive Colobus

Angola colobus
black colobus monkey
King colobus monkey
Mantled Guereza
Ursine colobus monkey
Olive colobus monkey

Black colobus group (genus Colobus) and the Olive Colobus Monkey

Angola Colobus Monkey

The Angola colobus is also known as the Angolan black-and-white colobus, or the  Angolan colobus.

There are 6 recognized sub-species (though there is another suspected undescribed subspecies from the Mahale mountains in Tanzania)


      • Sclater’s Angola colobus, C. a. angolensis –Sclater’s Angolan colobus, found in Angola and northward to the great bend in the Congo River
      • Powell-Cotton’s Angola colobus, Friedrichs’s Angolan colobus, Cordier’s Angolan colobus, and Prigogine’s Angolan colobus , in regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania;
      • Ruwenzori colobus C. a. ruwenzorii (Thomas)
      • Cordier’s Angola colobus, C. a. cordieri
      • Prigogine’s Angola colobus, C. a. prigoginei, from Mt. Kabobo
      • Peters Angola colobus or Tanzanian black-and-white colobus, C. a. palliatus -There are 3100-5000 individuals in Kenya 

     

    The Angola colobus occurs in dense rainforests, both in the lowlands and coastal mountains. It lives in most of the Congo Basin, to the south and northeast of the Congo River, as far as Ruwenzori, Burundi and southwestern Uganda. The species can also be found in East Africa, especially in the interior and coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania and in isolated mountain areas. Although the species is named after Angola, it is quite rare in that country. Of all  species, the Angola colobus occurs in the southernmost latitude. The geographical range lies south of that of the Mantled guereza. It is found up to 2,415 m above sea level in Kenya.

    They are listed as least concern, though estimates for their whole population are hard to come by. Hopefully, I will be able to add more detail in the future

     

     

Black Colobus Monkey

The black colobus (Colobus satanas), or satanic black colobus, is a species of Old World monkey belonging to the genus Colobus. The species is found in a small area of western central Africa. Black colobuses are large, completely covered with black fur, and like all other Colobus monkeys, do not have a thumb. The species has faced large declines in population due to habitat destruction and hunting by humans, and was consequently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in 1994.

The black colobus monkey is one of five recognised species in the genus Colobus. The black colobus is the oldest species in this genera and is thought to have diverged 3-4 million years ago.

There are two subspecies of black colobus monkey:

  • Colobus satanas satanas – Bioko black colobus (Waterhouse, 1838)
  • Colobus satanas anthracinus – Gabon black colobus (Le Conte, 1857)

The black colobus monkey is found in Equatorial Guinea, south west Cameroon and central and north-western Gabon. Small populations may also occur in the north of the Republic of the Congo. The subspecies C.s.satanas is only found on Bioko Island, off the coast of Cameroon. The distribution of the black colobus has decreased dramatically – the species is now rare or absent in some areas of its range due to its habitat being destroyed for logging. Black colobuses are known to live at low densities, but there is currently no total population estimate for the species. One of the largest remaining populations of the species, consisting of 50,000-55,900 individuals, is found in Lope Reserve, Gabon. Other remaining large populations are found in the Foret des Abeilles in central Gabon and Douala-Edea Reserve in Cameroon.

The black colobus is an arboreal species that lives high in the canopy of dense rainforest and occasionally coastal sand dune or wooded meadows. Black colobuses are unable to survive in secondary forest that has regrown after a major disturbance such as logging and therefore tend to avoid areas populated by humans. The black colobus cannot be bred in captivity due to the food and habitat it requires.
The black colobus monkey is one of the most threatened primate species in Africa and is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This is because the species’ population has declined by over 30% in the past 30 years. The subspecies C.s.satanas is classified as Endangered as its population has declined by over 60% in the last 30 years. The black colobus monkey is now only found in areas which cannot be easily accessed by humans. The species has faced population declines due to logging and illegal hunting for the fur trade which began in the 19th century. Due to improved roads and increased wealth in the area, commercial hunting for the species has become more profitable. 

Today, black colobus monkeys are mainly traded for their meat and account for 20% of the Bushmeat sold in Malabo  One adult black colobus carcass is sold for around US$20.42.The black colobus monkey is listed under Appendix II of CITES, which restricts international trade of the species. The species is also listed under Class B of the “African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources” African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Further information and data is needed to in order to help conserve the species. Conservation programs such as the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program aim to work with local people to learn more about the black colobus monkey and protect it from extinction.

King Colobus Monkey

The king colobus is also known as the western black-and-white colobus and is a species of Old World monkey, found in lowland and mountain rainforests in a region stretching from Senegal, through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia to the Ivory Coast.

African King colobus monkeys have distinctive long, strong, white tails which act as an extra support as they live mainly up in tall trees of the rainforest canopy and feed on leaves, flowers and fruit. In fact, they spend much of their time eating as leaves have little nutritional value so a great many are needed to fill their quite large stomachs. 

Habitat destruction and the bushmeat trade have reduced the numbers of King colobus and they are now classed as Vulnerable of the IUCN list of endangered species. They are also predated by birds of prey and leopards.

Living up to 30 years, these monkeys produce just one baby a year which is completely white when it’s born – this means it takes a long time for them to recover from reductions in their population. They darken over time until they’re completely black with a white frame to the face and the white tail. 

They are considered Vulnerable with a population that has halved in the last 30 years.

Mantled Guereza

The Mantled Guereza (alsok known as the Guereza colobus monkey, the mantled colobus, eastern black-and-white colobus and the magistrate colobus, is found in a widespread area in central africa. Starting in Nigeria, east and west of the Niger River and the upper Donga River tributaries to the Tabassi District of Cameroon, to Equatorial Guinea, through Chad, Gabon, the Central African republic, republic of Congo into Northern DRC through south Sudan to Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda Rewanda and southern Tanzania.

The guereza colobus monkey is recognized as the “parent” species to seven “children,” or subspecies. Each of these subspecies occupies a specific range and exhibits slight variations in appearance.

  • Western guereza (C. g. occidentalis) is found from eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, south to Gabon, eastward to southwestern Sudan, and into Uganda, west of the Nile River.
  • Omo River guereza (C. g. guereza) is found in forested areas of the Ethiopian highlands, west of the Rift Valley and within the lowland areas along the Awash River, the Omo River, and in the Blue Nile gorge.
  • Djaffa Mountains guereza (C. g. gallarum), also  known as Neumann’s black-and-white colobus, is found only in the Ethiopian highlands east of the Rift Valley.
  • Dodinga Hills guereza (C. g. dodingae) is found only in the Didinga Hills of southeastern Sudan.
  • Mau Forest guereza (C. g. matschiei) is found in Kenya, west of the Rift Valley, inhabiting forestland within the Rift, west to Mount Elgon (Kenya and Uganda), and south to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Grumeti River in Tanzania.
  • Uarges guereza (C. g. percivali), also known as Percival’s Black-and-White colobus, is found only at Mt. Uarges, the highest peak in the Matthews Range of central Kenya.
  • Kenya guereza (C. g. kikuyuensis) is found in central Kenya, from the Ngong Escarpment, Mt. Kenya, and the Aberdare Mountain Range.

Subspecies classifications for the guereza colobus are still being debated, so it may be some time, before it is understood the exact situation.

They are found in both primary and secondary forests (those that have been disturbed by humans) but appear to prefer disturbed forests. Deciduous and evergreen forests are also used, but only ones which have had time for the trees to create a true canopy.

It is thought to be the “parent” from which the other subspecies came.

They are considered least concern

Ursine Colobus Monkey

The ursine colobus, also known as the white-thighed colobus, Geoffroy’s black-and-white colobus, or the white-thighed black-and-white colobus, is a West African species of primate.

The ursine colobus is quite distinctive, with predominantly black fur and lacking a white mantle. They have a black and naked face which is surrounded by a thick white halo of fur. The ursine colobus is further characterized by white patches on the thighs which vary in width and length. Like other species of colobus, the babies are born with an all white fur coat, which starts to turn black at around three months of age. In contrast 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.

Ursine colobus are diurnal and highly arboreal, coming down from trees only occasionally when feeding. Their social behavior is like that of many  polygynous monkeys, with each group consisting of related females their juvenile offspring and a territorial male. The males are highly territorial and disperse upon reaching sexual maturity.Ursine colobus use a roaring call to advertise territory and location, this roar is a low “rur, rur, rur” noise. They also have alarm calls that alert group members when predators have been seen which are a “snorting” sound, made by all members of the group except infants. Ursine colobus are mainly vegetarian and have a diet which is made up of new leaves and seeds, with the occasional addition of fruits, insects, and termite clay.

The ursine colobus is threatened by both hunting and deforestation. Its range falls within a region which includes a dense and rapidly growing human population, where forest destruction has been extensive, and there is uncontrolled hunting of wildlife in many places. However, in some parts of their range these monkeys are held to be sacred. It is listed as Class A under the African Convention, and under Appendix II of CITES. They are known to live within a number of protected areas including Comoe National Park Fazao-Malfakassa National Park and Mole, Bui and Digya National Parks (Ghana).

It is listed as one of the worlds 25 most endangered primates and is critically endangered. It is thought that around 1000 remain in the wild. it is listed as critically endangered because between 1992 and 2019 the population fell by over 80%.

Olive Colobus Monkey

The olive colobus monkey is also also known as the green colobus or Van Beneden’s colobus. Its English name refers to its dull olive upperparts. It is the smallest colobine monkeys and is rarely observed in its natural habitat because of its cryptic coloration and secretive nature. It is found in the rain forests of West Africa, ranging from southern Sierra Leone to Nigeria. The IUCN Red List classifies the olive colobus as vulnerable (previously near threatened), and the change has been caused by habitat loss and hunting. Though much of the land within the range of the olive colobus has been affected by human activities, it retains its ability to thrive in small degraded forest fragments (an advantage, as many other primate species do not do well in this way).

It is a small-bodied mammal with an average body weight of 4.6 kilograms for males and 4.1 kilograms for females. Their coloration allows them to stay camouflaged within the trees reducing the risk of predation. They have large feet for a colobus monkey.

The natural habitat of the olive colobus includes second growth within tall forests, palm forests and swamps, where they feed in the lower and middle vegetation strata. The olive colobus is mainly folivorous (herbivore which specializes in eating leaves), although it may consume fruits and seeds when available. The diet consists primarily of young leaves, and they tend to avoid mature leaf parts altogether. This is related to the fact that it is a forestomach fermenter with a small body size, which requires it to obtain a very high quality diet. The fact that olive colobus monkeys utilize this type of fermentation also relates to their lack of fruit consumption, because fruits that contain high levels of acid can overly lower the pH of the stomach, causing negative and sometimes lethal effects on microorganisms living within it.[8]

The olive colobus monkey is a very cryptic and shy animal, which can make the observation and understanding of its behaviour difficult. What is known about interactions between olive colobus monkeys and other related species shows that their social structure is very complex.

Olive colobus monkeys are found in small groups containing multiple breeding males, several females, and their infants. Though found in groups of only a few individuals, olive colobus monkeys are almost always seen in association with other monkeys, particularly the Diana monkey. There have been many suggestions as to how this relationship benefits the olive colobus, such as reducing the risk of predation. A piece of evidence that gives support to this idea is the willingness of the olive colobus to travel to higher altitudes in the tree tops to feed when other species are nearby.

In addition to serving as a means of predator avoidance, the close association with Diana monkeys is a mechanism used by male olive colobus monkeys to obtain new female mates. The olive colobus mating system is unique in that unlike many species living in small groups, there is no evidence of male monopolization over females. It has been proposed that females use aspects of their reproductive biology(long receptive periods, promiscuous mating, and mating overlap among females) along with mating behaviours to limit the monopolization of males in a group. Benefits to the avoidance of male monopolization include direct or indirect female mate choice, decreasing the risk of infanticide, and increased paternal care for offspring.

As with almost all primate species, the olive colobus monkey is very susceptible to habitat loss due to increased encroachment of hunters and farmers on both protected and unprotected lands. In order to ensure that this threatened species is protected, the olive colobus has been listed under Appendix II of CITES and as a Class A species under the African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, which monitor the international trade of species and their status in the environment. The olive colobus is also covered in many protected areas including Taï National Park on the Ivory Coast of West Africa, which was declared a Forest and Wildlife Refuge in 1926 and accepted as a biosphere reserve in 1982. The park has a total area of 330,000 hectares, plus a 20,000-hectare buffer zone, where new plantations and settlement are prohibited.

Though efforts have been established in order to protect the olive colobus monkey and its habitat, illegal farming and hunting are still a fundamental threat to this species’ survival. To ensure that the olive colobus will thrive in the future, stricter enforcement of laws and regulations should be implemented, as well as the development of educational and public awareness plans. The olive colobus will also benefit from further study and observation.

Video Gallery of each species above (in the same order as they are listed above

[TS_Video_Gallery id="1"]

Rheus group – Formosan, Japanese and Rhesus macaque

Formosan rock macaque
Japanese macaque
Rhesus macaque

Rheus group - Formosan, Japanese and Rhesus macaque

The Rheus group of Macaques consists of 3 species. Each one will get its own page as we start to make contacts which can help you see these in the wild, but for the time being, all three will share this page.

  • The Formosan Macaque (also known as the Formosan rock monkey or Taiwanese macaque natively living on the Island of Taiwan (current population of around 250,000), though it has also been introduced into Japan. It is thought that Formosan and Japanese macaques split around 380,000 years ago, with the introduced population on Japan, there is some risk that the Japanese (or snow macaque) will disappear, over time, as a result of hybridisation). I have been unable to ascertain the size of this invasive population.
  • Japanese Macaque (also known as snow monkeys) was estimated to number 110,000 back in 1989, I am unsure how it has changed since. It lives in both subtropical forests in the southern part of its range and subarctic forests in mountainous areas in the northern part of its range. It is, in the northern end of its range that it is most famous, with the pictures of ‘snow monkeys’, and the fascinating behaviour of spending time in the volcanic hot pools.
  • Rhesus macaque is found through  South, Central and South-eastern Asia, and has the widest range of any non-human primate. It is found through a wide range of altitudes, and a variety of habitats, from grasslands to arid and forested areas. They have also taken up residence on the edge of human settlements as there is much food waste to be found in these areas. Feral colonies are also found in the USA, having escaped or been intentionally released by humans. Silver Spring State Park in Florida is home to at least 500-600 rhesus macaques, with more than 1000 having been removed by the authorities in the last decade. Other populations exist in Puerto Rico and South Carolina. The Puerto Rico population is thought to cost 1 million dollars a year to manage and as much as $300,000 in crop damage.

Crab -eating Macaque groups – Crab-eating Macaque and stump-tailed macaque

crab eating macaque
Stump tailed macaque

Crab-eating Macaques group

There are 2 species in this group, with the crab-eating macaque found in South-east Asia (including many islands) and the Stump-tailed macaque are found in north-east India and South China, as well as many of the countries in the area.

The crab-eating macaque is considered as endangered, while the stump-tailed macaque is considered vulnerable.

As contacts are made, each page will split off, but for the time being I am grouping them together.

Do help me find contacts, in the near future.

Any articles written on them will appear below. Below that you will find contacts that might be of use for travel to see them.

Barbary Macaque (Barbary Group)

Barbary Macaque

A wide spread species, found natively in the Atlas mountains – in the countries of Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, there is thought to be a population of 12,000-21,000. They also have a population of around 250, in Gibraltar, and have lived there for the last 300 years, these are the only wild living population of monkeys within Europe. it should be noted that the native population appears to be growing at the moment, while the Gibraltar population is reducing gradually. In Africa, they can form tribes of up to 100 strong. The main threats appear deforestation in areas, which is fragmenting populations, and reducing areas for them to find food (grazing of cattle is also a big threat). Capture for the pet trade is also a big threat, while in Morocco they are used as photo props for tourists. Remains even over 2000 years ago, in places like Ireland, and other places in Europe suggest that they were given as diplomatic gifts.

Due to no knowledge about which young was sired by which male, the males are also involved in the child-rearing., as well as all ages. Eating vegetation and insects, males tend to live to an age of 25 years, while females can live to around 30.

Often referred to as a Barbary Ape, it is actually a true monkey (though the barbary part of its name does come from where the species originates, as this is a name for the Atlas mountains coast).

One of the earliest species to be mentioned by scientists, it is talked about by Aristotle in the 4th century BC. In the 2nd century BC, a man called Galen dissected one of these, and discovered that its body is very similar to humans. This work was so impressive, it was not until the 16th century AD that his minor mistakes were corrected.

Genetic evidence has lead scientists to find that this species is a so called sister species to other macaques, having split off before the rest. Fossils have been found of a similar creature all over Europe (including Norfolk) from several million years ago, and there is a fossil dating from perhaps as recently as 40,000 years ago from Germany.

Interestingly, this is the only Macaque species which is found outside Asia, and the only non-human primate to have lived in Europe in recent times. It is unclear when they arrived in Europe, certainly they had been in Gibraltar for centuries when the British arrived. It has been postulated that the Moors introduced them in the middle ages. They appear to be capable of surviving in many habitats, though they are often only found in specific ones, in their native range. In the Atlas mountains, they appear to prefer Cedar forests. As with other primates, grooming appears to lower stress. They make a variety of vocal calls, and appear to be able to pick out calls from their own group even in a crowd of calls.

Females appear to have a different plan in terms of getting help, by allowing every male in the group to mate with them, thereby making all males think young may be theirs. Males get the most injuries during the peak fertility period, suggesting an attempt to keep females to themselves, though this is not thought to be a good strategy, as it also stops them mating with any of the other females.

They eat a wide variety of plants, and will consume most insects worms and other creepie-crawlies.

Their predators include dogs (domestic), leopards, and a variety of eagles (depending on where in their range the Macaques are.

Below is a video on a small part of their range, which lives on the rock of Gibraltar.

Of course, this species range is also extensive in its native north Africa, and we hope to list places for you to see them here as well. Any links will appear at the bottom of the page.

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