The Monkey With The Owl Face: Characteristics And Habitat
There are many and varied species of monkeys, but can you imagine one that looks like a bird? This is the case of the owl-faced monkey which, as the name suggests, has a face that reminds us of that of the nocturnal bird of prey.
Today we will talk about the monkey with the owl face!
The monkey with the owl face
The Cercopithecus hamlyni , also known as owl face, belongs to the family of Cercopithecus. It inhabits the tropical forests of East Africa. These animals live in:
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- North East Rwanda
- Southwestern Uganda
It lives between 900 and 4600 meters high, mainly in the bamboo forests. This plant constitutes its main source of food.
It was brought to other continents by man. One of its names, Hamlyn’s monkey, is due to a merchant who took it to a London zoo in 1907.
We present the monkey with the face of an owl, with a characteristic face reminiscent of that of the nocturnal bird of prey.
Characteristics of Cercopithecus hamlyni
But how does this monkey remember an owl? It is because it has two stripes on its face, one vertical and one horizontal, which form a T. These particular markings are white or yellowish and stand out on the dark fur. Other physical characteristics of this primate are:
- Males weigh between 7 and 10 kilograms, while females weigh between 4.5 and 6 kilograms.
- Their body is between 50 and 65 centimeters long in males and between 40 and 55 centimeters in females.
- The hair, gray and black, is long, dense and thin.
Behavior of the owl-faced monkey
The owl-faced monkey can be described as terrestrial and arboreal. Although it climbs trees, it generally prefers dry land as much for moving as for getting food.
Bamboo shoots are its main food source, but it also eats other tree leaves and herbs, fruit and seeds.
It lives in small groups, of no more than 10 individuals, in which a dominant male stands out and communicates in both olfactory and vocal ways. Thus, he marks the territory through a gland present in the chest and uses different voices to orient himself or as a reminder at the moment of mating.
The primate birth season is between May and October. After five or six months of pregnancy a puppy is born, exceptionally two. There is usually an interval of two years until the female becomes pregnant again.
An animal that breeds in zoos
In captivity, the owl-faced monkey can live up to 27 years. In its natural habitat it is a victim of leopards, golden cats and humans.
Although its dark fur helps it go unnoticed, deforestation, human hunting and its low birth rate have made it a vulnerable species according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) classification.
Fortunately, it is an animal that manages to reproduce in captivity and is found in many zoos in Europe and North America.
