White-naped Mangabey
In the jungles of West Africa, white-naped mangabeys roam the forest floor. They search for fruits and seeds, which they can break open with their strong jaws. In the low branches of the trees, these agile monkeys find their place to rest. But illegal logging is causing those resting sites to disappear, leaving less space for the mangabeys to find food. The white-naped mangabey is now one of the 25 most endangered species of primate. That's why Rotterdam Zoo is committed to protecting them.
18 years
♀ 38 - 42 centimeters
♂ 40 - 45 centimeters
♀ 40 – 60 centimeters
♂ 47 – 67 centimeters
(excluding tail)
♀ 5 - 9 kilograms
♂ 8.5 - 14 kilograms
White-naped mangabeys are named after their white, crescent-shaped patch on top of their head. The coat is otherwise grayish brown on top and white on the chin, throat and belly. More than half of the white-crowned mangabey's length consists of its tail: it can reach about 74 centimeters long! He uses it to help balance when climbing trees. It cannot grab branches with it: only monkeys from South America can do that.
White-naped mangabeys are found in the in the tropical rainforests of West Africa. There they live mainly on the forest floor and in the understory of trees. They are also found in swampy areas and mangrove forests. Their habitat extends across the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Burkina Faso.
White-naped mangabeys live in large groups with males, females and their young. The females usually have a close bond, because they are often related. There is often one dominant male, but in larger groups there might be more males. The dominant male usually mates with several females, but vice versa, females also mate with other males. When a young mangabey is born, the males don't know who the father is. Therefore, to be sure 'their' offspring survives, all of them protect it.
When white-naped mangabeys see danger, they can use different sounds to indicate to their peers which predator is nearby. This allows them to flee in time, before the predator gets them. But these monkeys also fall prey to humans, because hunters sell their meat as bush meat. In addition, the mangabey is also a victim of deforestation. This is done mainly for logging and to establish plantations, for example for oil palms. As a result, the mangabeys' habitat is becoming smaller and smaller. There is currently only 15% of the original habitat left!
To protect the white-naped mangabeys, Blijdorp supports West African Primate Conservation Action (WAPCA). They work with the local population to protect the mangabeys' habitat from illegal logging. They also catch mangabeys that have ended up in the illegal trade and are kept as pets. In addition, WAPCA is committed to educating locals about the importance of conservation. There is even a Mangabey Awareness Day on the 1st of August!
There are currently two groups of mangabeys at Rotterdam Zoo - one group which shares its enclosure with the gorillas and one group next to the servals on the savannah. Both enclosures have plenty of places to climb and several places to put food. The indoor enclosures are equipped with heating and heat lamps to keep these tropical monkeys warm even in winter. To ensure that the zoo population of white-naped mangabeys remains healthy and diverse, Rotterdam Zoo is participating in the European population management program for white-naped mangabeys.
