Pygmy Monkey: Characteristics, Behavior And Habitat
The pygmy monkey is a species of primate that is relatively unknown in our latitudes. However, it is still a victim of illicit trafficking and can be found across Europe, despite being native to Africa.
Characteristics of the pygmy monkey
Two primates of the genus Miopithecus living in Central Africa can be found under the term pygmy monkey : the southern pygmy monkey of Angola and the northern pygmy monkey from Gabon.
Both are distinguished by the fact that they are small primates that weigh about a kilo and are 40 centimeters tall. That makes them the smallest African monkey. Worldwide, however, there are still smaller monkeys from South America, namely the Marmoset monkeys.
The appearance of these monkeys is slightly reminiscent of the western green monkey, but the latter are six to eight times heavier than the small African primate.
Like most of these monkeys , they have a recognizable fur-free face that gives them a rich expression and makes each animal distinctive.
After a gestation period of around five months, the offspring are born, and they start to eat solid food after just six weeks. The birth of a single boy is normal in primates and, compared to other species, enjoys very intensive care from the mother.
After three months, the boys are largely independent. They can live between 20 and 30 years, especially in captivity.
Behavior of the pygmy monkey
The pygmy monkey lives in groups of up to 100 individuals and usually sleeps in trees in these large communities.
During the day, however, she tends to split up into small groups to look for food, which prevents food conflicts from escalating.
The groups consist of numerous males and females as well as their young. These animals have no territorial behavior and have a large vocal repertoire, albeit less abundant than the communication of other monkeys.
Although the pygmy monkey is generally comfortable in trees, the Angolan species also frequently hangs out on the ground. This is possibly due to the different resources that their habitat offers.
Habitat of the pygmy monkey
The pygmy monkey is a diurnal animal that only occurs in the densest forests and jungles.
Oddly enough, she is one of the few primates who have no problem getting wet. She has even been seen swimming in search of food.
Because of this, this primate usually lives near bodies of water. The northern pygmy monkey of Gabon lives in the river basins of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The southern pygmy monkey, on the other hand, lives in the miombo. This is a type of forest savannah that is found mainly in the southern part of Africa and is drier than the northern pygmy monkey habitat.
Specifically, the Angolan pygmy monkey can be found south of the Congo, in the republic of the same name and in Angola.
Since none of the red monkey species is threatened, they are hardly protected from illegal trade. For example, because of their small size, these monkeys are also illegally imported into Europe to be sold as pets.
Central African primates are particularly dangerous as there are significant and dangerous zoonoses in this area, which are not controlled in animals entering Europe illegally.
