Black and White Colobus

Colobus guereza

Animal Class: Mammals

Length: 3-5 1/2 feet (body = 17–28 inches; tail = 20–39 inches)

Weight: 15 – 30 pounds

Life Span: 20 years in the wild

Diet: Wild: leaves, stems, bark, flowers, buds, shoots, fruits and some aquatic plants. Zoo: leafy diet and monkey chow

Habitat: The black and white colobus is found in diverse regions of equatorial Africa. They are the most arboreal of all African monkeys and seldom descend from the trees.

Description: Colobus have long, glossy black fur with a white U-shaped mantle of fur on the back and a white tip on the tail. They have a ring of white fur around their faces. Their faces are hairless with gray skin. Colobus are known for their fluffy, long tails which are 1 1/3 as long as their bodies. They have 4 fingers and no thumbs (only a small stub where the thumb would usually be), which provides a strong grasp on branches as they move through the trees. The name “colobus” means “mutilated one” and refers to the missing thumb.

Our Animals: Finnegan, Moja, and Luna