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Mandrillus sphinx Mandrillus leucophaeus |
The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is a primate of the Cercopithecidae (Old-world Monkeys) family, closely related to the baboons.
Mandrills are recognized by their olive-colored fur and colorful face amongst males (color will grow stronger with sexual maturity); females have duller colors. Males can weigh up to 60 lbs (30 kg), females about half as much. They grow to be about half a meter long (20 inches) and can survive up to 25 years in captivity.
Mandrills are found in the tropical rain forests of Equatorial West Africa (South Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo).
Mandrills are social creaturess and may be found in groups raging from 5 to 50 individuals, led by an older dominant male.
Mandrills are omnivores and acquire their food, mainly plants, insects and smaller animals from the ground as they are terrestrial (ground-living), although they may climb trees occasionally to sleep if possible. Their main natural predators are leopards and cheetahs. Unfortunately humans have hunted the mandrill too much and it has become endangered, which is exacerbated by deforestation causing mandrill habitats to disappear.
The gestation (pregnancy) time for mandrills is 5-6 months and babies are usually born in Jan-April.
Although the mandrill does not hunt larger prey, it is well adapted to fighting and is not to be provoked.
Other species
The second species classified in the Mandrillus genus is the drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), which lacks the colorful face and is only found only in Cameroon, north of the Sanaga river and on the coastal island of Fernando Poo.
