The collared mangabey (Cercocebus torquatus), also known as the red-capped mangabey, white-collared mangabey (leading to easy confusion with Cercocebus atys lunulatus

Sooty Mangabey

The sooty mangabey is an Old World monkey found in forests from Senegal east to Ghana. It is famous for being believed to be the monkey that HIV-2 might have originated in before jumping species...

), or cherry-crowned mangabey, is a species of primate

Primate

A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...

 in the Cercopithecidae family of Old World monkey

Old World monkey

The Old World monkeys or Cercopithecidae are a group of primates, falling in the superfamily Cercopithecoidea in the clade Catarrhini. The Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia today, inhabiting a range of environments from tropical rain forest to savanna, shrubland and mountainous...

s. It formerly included the sooty mangabey

Sooty Mangabey

The sooty mangabey is an Old World monkey found in forests from Senegal east to Ghana. It is famous for being believed to be the monkey that HIV-2 might have originated in before jumping species...

 as a subspecies. As presently defined, the collared mangabey is monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

.

Range

It is found in forests, especially near water, from western Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

, east and south through Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

 and Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...

, to Gabon

Gabon

Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...

. It is now critically endangered because of habitat loss.

Description

The collared mangabey, at birth, can reach anywhere from 5 cm to 18 cm. The mangabey typically goes through this life cycle: 9–11 months gestation, 6–11 years to sexual maturity, and overall lifespan of approximately 30 years. When a juvenile, the mangabey can reach about 35 cm, and at adulthood, they can get to be up to 50 cm long and weigh 60 pounds.

Diet

The collared mangabey enjoys certain kinds of fruit, including mangoes, peaches, and tropical pears. In zoos worldwide, they will also eat apple slices and bananas. The mangabey is considered an omnivore.

Behaviour

The collared mangabey is an extremely social species. In the wild, they will typically live in groups of 7-10 animals, sometimes even 20. The social group is usually made up of about two males for breeding and protection, approximately three females for breeding, about 2 females for foraging for food, and their young.