LHoests monkey

Appearance

"C. lhoesti" has a short, dark brown coat, with a chestnut color across the back and a dark belly. Its cheeks are light gray with a pale moustache. It has a characteristic and prominent white bib, In body length it is 12.5 to 27 inches, with a 19-to-39-inch tail. The male weighs about 6 kilograms, while the smaller female weighs 3.5 kilograms. Its tail is long and hook-shaped at the end. They are born fully coated and with their eyes open.

Distribution

L'Hoest's monkey occurs in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and western Uganda. It is a forest monkey, which is typical of the moist and high primary forests. It will occupy a range of different kinds of forested areas, including gallery forest, mature lowland rain forests, wooded savanna at mountain slopes, and forest borders. However, it also will live on cultivated lands. In lowland forests it shows a preference toward areas where the forest is regenerating, while in mountain areas it will frequent the mature, tangled, undergrowth below the broken canopy. One study found this population only above 900 metres but another found it as low as 610 metres. Another mostly observed it from 1,500 to 2,500 metres.

Behavior

"C. lhoesti" lives in fairly small groups dominated by females and have only a single male. The females are usually related, while the male stays only a couple of weeks or at most a couple of years. The adult male will make very loud and distinct calls. They are active during the day, mostly during early morning and late afternoon. They sleep in trees in a sitting position, usually either holding branches or each other. When they are alarmed or see they are being observed, they will flee and take shelter in trees, and after become very still. They are mostly terrestrial.

Reproduction

L'Hoest's monkey breeds seasonally, with the timing depending on the area. After about a five-month gestation period, a single young will be born. The mother gives birth typically at night and where ever she happens to be at the time. Birth usually occurs at the end of the dry season, which allows lactation when rainfall is highest. She will eat the placenta and lick the baby clean while it hangs on to her belly. The other females in the group will show much interest in the newborn and will try to hold it. After a few months, nursing becomes less frequent, but will continue for about two years when there is another birth. When male offspring reach sexual maturity, they will leave the group. In captivity, they have been known to live for more than 30 years.

Food

In the wild, L'Hoest's monkey is primarily a herbivore, which will mostly eat fruit, mushrooms, herbs, roots, and leaves. However, it will also occasionally eat eggs, lizards, and small birds.