Preuss's Red Colobus
Encyclopedia
Preuss's red colobus is a red colobus
primate
species endemic to the Cross-Sanaga Rivers ecoregion. An important population occurs in Korup National Park
, Southwest Province
, Cameroon
, but the species' distribution is localized (groups are frequently encountered near the main tourist camps). The species is considered present in adjacent Cross River National Park
- Oban Division in Nigeria
and hunter reports suggest that few groups remain in Nkwende Hills and Nta Ali Forest Reserve in the broader Korup region. A population is also present in Ebo forest, Littoral Province of Cameroon
.
according to the IUCN Red List
due to hunting pressure and destruction of its habitat. Large portion of the remaining groups are included within protected areas (Korup National Park
, Cross River National Park, and the proposed national park at Ebo).
of P. pennantii
and P. badius
.
Red colobus
Red colobuses are Old World monkeys of the subgenus Piliocolobus in genus Procolobus. Some authors elevate Piliocolobus to a full genus, limiting Procolobus to the olive colobus. They are closely related to the black-and-white colobus monkeys and some species are often found in groups with the...
primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
species endemic to the Cross-Sanaga Rivers ecoregion. An important population occurs in Korup National Park
Korup National Park
Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa’s oldest and richest rainforests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is the most accessible rainforest national park in Cameroon...
, Southwest Province
Southwest Province
The Southwest Region or South-West Region of Cameroon is a province of Cameroon and constitutes part of the territory of Southern Cameroons. Its capital is Buea. , its population was 838,042...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, but the species' distribution is localized (groups are frequently encountered near the main tourist camps). The species is considered present in adjacent Cross River National Park
Cross river national park
The Cross River National Park is a national park of Nigeria, located in Cross River State, Nigeria.There are two separate sections, Okwangwo and Oban ....
- Oban Division in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and hunter reports suggest that few groups remain in Nkwende Hills and Nta Ali Forest Reserve in the broader Korup region. A population is also present in Ebo forest, Littoral Province of Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
.
Conservation status
The Preuss's red colobus is critically endangeredCritically endangered
Version 2010.3 of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 3744 Critically Endangered species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and subpopulations.Critically Endangered by kingdom:*1993 Animalia*2 Fungi*1745 Plantae*4 Protista-References:...
according to the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
due to hunting pressure and destruction of its habitat. Large portion of the remaining groups are included within protected areas (Korup National Park
Korup National Park
Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa’s oldest and richest rainforests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is the most accessible rainforest national park in Cameroon...
, Cross River National Park, and the proposed national park at Ebo).
Description
Preuss's red colobus has a black head, a black back ticked with orange, and bright red tail, limbs and cheeks.Taxonomy
Preuss's red colobus has, in the past, been considered a subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of P. pennantii
Pennant's Colobus
Pennant's colobus is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. Its distribution is peculiarly disjunct and has been considered a biogeographical puzzle, with one population on the island of Bioko , a second in the Niger River Delta in southern Nigeria, and a third in east-central...
and P. badius
Western Red Colobus
The western red colobus is a species of Old World monkey found in West African forests from Senegal to Ghana. All other species of red colobuses have formerly been considered subspecies of P. badius. It is often hunted by the common chimpanzee...
.