Mandrillus leucophaeus
The drill is one of the most endangered animals in Africa. Its range includes
only Cross River State (Nigeria), South Western Cameroon, and Bioko Island (in
Equatorial Guinea).
This monkey is a semi-terrestrial and semi-nomadic monkey. It is very easy to
distinguish males from females because the male is colorfoul and its weight is
up to three times that of the female. Drills live in groups of around 20
individuals led by a single male. These small groups can join others and so form
supergroups of up to 200 drills.
Like all cercopithecines, the drill has cheek pouches for storing food while
foraging. Its diet consists mainly of fruits, but it also eats leaves, roots,
ground plants, and cultivated crops.
The picture of the above male drill was taken at the zoo of Wuppertal, Germany, in April 2011.
Genus Mandrillus
Subfamily Cercopithecinae
Family Cercopithecidae
Order Primates
Subclass Eutheria
Class Mammalia
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
Index