Golden Monkey
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| Golden Monkey[1] | ||||||||||||||
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| Cercopithecus kandti Matschie, 1905 |
The Golden Monkey (Cercopithecus kandti) is a species of Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within 4 national parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and Kahuzi-Biéga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The species was previously thought to be a subspecies of the Blue Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis),[1] and is similar in appearance with blue-gray fur. A distinguishing feature is its golden hair on its shoulders and back. The Golden Monkey inhabits a small area which overlaps the territory of one group of the Mountain Gorilla.
Not much is known about the Golden Monkey's behaviour. It lives in social groups of up to 30 individuals. Its diet consists mainly of leaves and fruit, though it is also thought to eat insects.
Due to the gradual destruction of their habitat and recent wars in their limited habitat, the Golden Monkey is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 156. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- ^ a b Butynski, T. et al (2000). Cercopithecus mitis spp. kandti. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2007. Retrieved on 2008-03-30.
