Mammal · GBIF taxon 5219580
Wolf's Monkey
Cercopithecus wolfiAlso known as Wolf's Mona Monkey, Wolf's Guenon
Wolf's monkeys travel through the middle and upper levels of the Central African canopy, moving in social groups typically led by a single dominant male and several females. They frequently form mixed-species associations with other guenons, pooling vigilance to better detect predators like crowned eagles while foraging for canopy fruit and foliage. Males maintain troop spacing with resonant booming vocalizations that reverberate across the riverine forests.
ArborealDiurnalColorful
Licensed reference(c) pelican, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Ficus figs
- Tree caterpillars
- Forest foliage
Predators
- Crowned Eagle
- Leopard
- Chimpanzee
ThreatsHabitat loss from logging, agriculture, and bushmeat hunting
HabitatsPrimary and secondary lowland rainforests, swamp forests
Life span20–25 years
Classification
- OrderPrimates
- FamilyCercopithecidae
- GenusCercopithecus
- SpeciesCercopithecus wolfi
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Can deliver sharp bites if cornered or handled; observe quietly from a respectful distance.
- Why it is dangerous
- Possesses sharp canines capable of inflicting severe lacerations and transmitting transmissible primate pathogens.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by bright reddish thighs, yellow underside, and a dark crest across the crown.
- What to do
- Maintain a minimum distance of ten meters and never attempt to hand-feed or corner an individual.
- What to notice
- Medium-sized monkey with a slate-grey body, chestnut saddle patch, and white ear tufts.
- Support conservation
- Keep noise levels down in protected reserves to avoid displacing foraging nursery groups.
Responsible observation
- Canopy Scanning: Look into the mid-canopy layer near fruiting fig trees during morning hours.
- Acoustic Tracking: Listen for the male's low resonant boom calls echoing through swamp edges.
- Respecting Space: Never offer food or make direct prolonged eye contact, which signals aggression.
Frequent Companion (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist · cc-by
Predator (c) Suvarna Parbhoo Mohan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) pavlaki1968, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Matt Muir, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Muir · cc-by
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Emerald Kingdom
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