Udzungwa red colobus

The Udzungwa Red Colobus is an old-world monkey, that is endemic to riverine and montane forest in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. The word “colobus” means mutilated as it does not have a thumb. It is an arboreal, diurnal species that lives in large groups averaging around 24 individuals, but can range from 7 to 83. The Udzungwa Red Colobus primarily feeds on leaves, flowers, fruits, and fungus and sometimes engages in the bizarre practice of eating soil, which is thought to aid digestion. This species has a large, four-chambered stomach which allows it to digest cellulose filled leaves during 7 out of 10 awake and inactive hours during the day.  Hard to miss with a splash of red hair atop its head, the Udzungwa Red Colobus is often preyed upon by Crowned hawk-eagles and chimpanzees. This species has a four-year nursing period, giving birth to just one offspring at a time.  That being said, it remains the most frequently seen primate in the Udzungwa Mountains.