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Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program

Putty-Nosed Guenon

Vital Stats

Latin name: Cercopithecus nictitans
Bioko's endemic subspecies: Cercopithecus nictitans stampflii
IUCN Status: Lower Risk
Captive Populations: 22 animals in 9 zoos, according to ISIS.

Description

A large, arboreal monkey with a long tail, the putty-nosed guenon has olive and black fur over its entire body except for a white spot nose, its most striking feature.

The putty-nosed guenon lives in groups of 12-30 females who defend a territory and are accompanied by a single adult male. They eat fruits, seeds, flowers, foliage and invertebrates.

The putty-nosed guenon is known locally as the “cowardly monkey” because it is more often heard -- the “pee-oow” alarm call -- than seen. On Bioko it is found in lowland forests. This species has a wide range on mainland Africa, making it less threatened than some of the other Bioko Island monkeys.