Erythrocebus patas
patas monkey

Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) live only in Africa. The species has a wide distribution across subSaharan Africa from the western tip of Senegal to East Africa. Patas monkeys occur as far south as Cameroon. (Honolulu Zoo, 2005; Nowak, 1999)

Patas monkeys are found in open country. They live mainly in savanna and woodland habitats since they are predominantly terrestrial. They are typically found in grass savanna, dry and dense woodlands with tall grass, and on grass steppe with thicket clumps. They can tolerate arid conditions, and some of them have been found close to the southern edge of the Sahara desert. However, there are a few exceptions. Some individuals have been seen in moist woodlands. Deforestation has caused these monkeys to be found in man-made clearings in the forest. Finally, they have also been seen in the zone of flooding in the delta of the Senegal River. An area such as the Senegal River does provide the necessary amount of water for patas monkeys to survive. In the drier areas in which patas monkeys typically live, water can be a limiting factor. Patas monkeys avoid areas with dense cover, perhaps due to exposure to predators. The population density of patas monkeys is approximatley 1.5 individuals per km2.

Patas monkeys have a shaggy, reddish-colored coat. these monkeys have a greyhound-like build.) The ventrum is white, as are legs and feet. Patas monkeys have whiskers on thes chin and a white moustache.

They have a narrow body, long legs for quadrupedal locomotion, and a prominent rib cage. (Some authors have noted that The eyes are directed forward for binocular vision. incisors are spatulate, canines conspicuous, and molars are bilophodont. The dental formula is 2/2,1/1,2/2,3/3=32. The nostrils are narrow, close together, and pointed downward (catarrhine).

The body is about 50 to 70 cm, with the reddish-colored tail adding about the same amount to the total length. Weights range between 7 and 13 kg.

Sexual dimorphism is present. The midfacial region (skull) of the male patas monkey is hypertrophied compared to females. Overall body size of males tends to be larger than females due to prolonged and accelerated growth. (Barbara B. Smuts, Robert M. Seyfarth, and Thomas T. Struhsaker, 1987; Honolulu Zoo, 2005; Nowak, 1999)

Captive lifespan may reach as much as 24 years. It is likely that the lifespan in wild populations is lower than this. (Nowak, 1999)

Patas monkeys live in social groups in which only the females are permanant members. When males leave the natal group at sexual maturity they may join an all male group or the male may live a solitary lifestyle. Usually only one male per group is present. Groups may consist of ten to forty members. In terms of intergroup relations, conspecifics are not friendly.

Patas monkeys may avoid each other or they might engage in aggressive behavior. This may seem counter-intuitive since their home ranges are large. However, intergroup interactions may occur when several groups drink from the same water hole. Large home ranges also make defense quite difficult (the day range of this species is 4,330m +/-1,520m). The total of all day ranges, or the home range, of this species 3,200 hectares.

When intergroup conflicts do occur, females and young are more active than males. Males may only give loud warning calls. However, during the mating season males join females in antagonizing other groups. Females tend to defend the resources in their home range against females in other groups.

In terms of intragroup relations, social organization is not well known. Dominance hierarchies are not apparent among patas monkey groups. However, it has been observed that a network of dyads with characteristically more than average affiliative behavior exists which indicates that some sort of pattern of social behavior is present. This is especially true of species with similiar age and sex, and perhaps among kin. Captive patas monkeys have confirmed these patterns. Females and juveniles interact socially with each other, and allomaternal care is extensive.

Males and females interact infrequently except during breeding season.

Patas monkeys are diurnal.

Communication in all primate species is complex. Because these animals are social, it is likely that visual signals such as body postures and facial expressions play important roles in communication. Vocalizations have been recorded under many different circumstances. Physical contact, through grooming, aggression, and playing, are also important in primate communication. Although no specifically recorded for these monkeys, it is likely that some scent cues are used in reproduction.

Patas monkeys are omnivorous. The diet consists mainly of fruits and insects but also includes leaves, roots, and bird eggs. They have also been found to subsist on either animal or vegetable substances.

Details on predation of this species are not available, so no predators are "known". However, it is likely that patas monkeys fall victim to the standard predators of the subsaharan African savanna: lions, cheetah, African hunting dogs, jackels, brown hyenas, spotted hyenas, snakes, and raptors.

As fruit eaters, it is likely that patas monkeys help to disperse seeds. As predators, they may influence populations of the species upon which they prey. They may also have some positive impact on populations of organisms which prey upon them. They may have some roles in competing with other terrestrial primates of the savanna.

Patas monkeys frequently raid crops. During these raids, they steal millet, bannas, peanuts, wheat, and dates. In some areas in Sudan, they feed in pineapple plantations, and they also destroy cotton plants by eating the flowers.

Patas monkeys are sometimes hunted for meat. They are sold in the pet trade, and they sometimes play a role in medical research.

The conservation of patas monkeys is critical because of their already small population size, limited geographic range and the current destruction of their habitats. Hunting by humans has increased progressively, especially in West Africa. In areas where hunting occurs, mortality from hunting may obscure biological interactions that otherwise limit populations. Hunters kill patas monkeys for meat in the Ivory Coast. The mountain Nuba people and tribal groups also hunt patas monkeys. Many farmers and plantation owners shoot these monkeys when they raid their crops. Patas monkeys are collected and sold as pets or they are sold to medical research institutions. Over 1000 patas monkeys are collected per year.

There are now eighteen national parks and eleven reserves in which patas monkeys can be found. Some measures have been made to limit the number exported from these national parks and reserves. In Cameroon, exportation requires a permit.

Habitat expansion of patas monkeys is also occurring in places such as Senegal and East Africa as a result of deforestation and drought, which create habitats similar to those preferred by patas monkeys.

The appearance of patas monkeys contributes to the use of alternative names such as red guenons, Hussar monkeys, military monkeys, and dancing red monkeys.