Lifespan29 years or more under human care
Quick facts
DietMainly leaves, seeds & unripe fruits
HabitatRainforests and open woodlands
RangeCentral & East Africa
The black-and-white colobus monkeys
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Up in the trees
Colobus monkeys are some of the most arboreal primates, capable of leaping up to 15 metres and rarely descending to the ground.
Special stomachs
They possess a four-chambered stomach that aids in digesting the tough fibres in their main diet of leaves.
Piebald colours
The adults’ black-and-white fur allows the colobus monkey to camouflage amidst contrasting patches of light and shadow in the forest canopies.
Effective communication
They can roar, just like howler monkeys. Roars are usually reserved for long-distance communication among neighbouring troops and can be heard from nearly two kilometres away.
Snow-white babies
Infant colobus monkeys are born with pure white fur. This striking colouration may help the elders of the troop keep an eye out for them.
Standing guard
At night, one troop member always remains on guard to watch out for nocturnal predators like leopards.
Together, we protect wildlife
Coordinated conservation
Wild colobus monkeys are vulnerable to habitat loss, as well as hunting for bush meat and their pelts.
Our colobus monkeys are managed under the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP), which involves coordinated breeding efforts by participating zoos.
Transfer of individuals between these zoos is based on genetic compatibility. We have successfully bred our colobus monkeys and are contributing to the continued survival of the species.
The IUCN Status
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
World-class care
We provide the highest standards of care for our colobus monkeys through a balanced and varied nutrition and an enriched enviornment that allows them to exhibit their natural climbing abilities and behaviours.
The IUCN Status
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.
DD
Data Deficient
Unknown risk of extinction
LC
Least Concern
At relatively low risk of extinction
NT
Near Threatened
Likely to become vulnerable in the near future
VU
Vulnerable
At high risk of extinction in the wild
EN
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild
CR
Critically Endangered
At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
EW
Extinct in the Wild
Survives only in captivity
EX
Extinct
No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity
