Sclater’s guenon, scientific name Cercopithecus sclateri, also called Sclater’s monkey and the Nigerian monkey is an Old World monkey that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater. It’s an arboreal and diurnal primate that lives within the forests of southern Nigeria.
Sclater’s guenon facts
It shouldn’t be confused with the intently associated species, the white-throated guenon (Cercopithecus erythrogaster), which happens in Nigeria and Benin.
Sclater’s guenon was previously categorised as a subspecies of the red-eared guenon (C. erythrotis).
Sclater’s guenon is Nigeria’s solely endemic primate species. It’s categorised as vulnarable by the IUCN.
The species was initially described in 1904 and for a few years was thought-about a subspecies of the purple eared guenon Cercopithecus erythrotis.
It was finally acknowledged by Kingdon (1980) as a definite species. It belongs to the Cercopithecus cephus group, or superspecies, which additionally consists of the purple eared guenon.
In contrast with different guenons, cephus species are typically smaller, adaptable, and infrequently vibrant.
This species is most frequently acknowledged by its tail colouration: One-half to one-third of the underside proximal aspect of the tail is vibrant rust-red.
Sclater’s guenon weighs 2.5 – 4.5 kg (5.5 – 9.9 lb). It’s present in patches of swamp and riverine forest.
The eating regimen of Sclater’s guenon will not be identified, however, based mostly on the eating regimen of associated species, it’s prone to be a blended feeder with a desire for plant components, particularly fruit. Associated species are present in troops of 4 – 30 or extra.
Sclater’s guenon was thought probably to be extinct till it was discovered to be surviving in 1988. It’s present in Nigeria in small scattered populations alongside the decrease course of the Niger River and within the Niger River delta.
Solely 5 discrete populations are at present identified. Two of them happen near villages the place they’re thought-about to be sacred and are subsequently protected. Different populations of Sclater’s guenon are closely hunted.
The eating regimen of Sclater’s guenon is unknown. The species is probably going primarily a frugivore that dietary supplements its eating regimen with different plant components and bugs, based mostly on information from intently associated species.
Sclater’s guenon was regarded as almost extinct till the late 1980s. The species is now identified to happen in a number of remoted populations between the Niger and Cross Rivers in southern Nigeria. This area falls within the Guinean Forests of the West Africa biodiversity hotspot.
The Sclater’s guenon is restricted to the rainforest zone between the Niger and Cross Rivers in southern Nigeria.
Its extent of prevalence is 28,500km2. A lot of the remaining forest all through the species’ vary includes small, typically degraded forest fragments inside a largely agricultural panorama; swampy areas tough to farm; or strips of forest alongside waterways.
Three populations of C. sclateri survive in largely deforested communities the place the native human inhabitants regards this monkey as sacred.
Though they don’t seem to be hunted in these websites, the monkeys’ sacred standing doesn’t essentially assure their long-run survival.
Sclater’s guenon Weight:
A female Sclater’s guenon weighs 2.5 – 3.5 kg (5.5 – 7.7 lb); a male weighs 3 – 4.5 kg (6.6 – 9.9 lb).
Habitat:
Sclater’s guenon is present in patches of swamp and riverine forest.
Sclater’s guenon is discovered within the Guinean Forests of West Africa Biodiversity Hotspot.
Sclater’s guenon Diet:
The eating regimen of Sclater’s guenon will not be identified, however, based mostly on the eating regimen of associated species, it’s prone to be a blended feeder with a desire for plant components, particularly fruit.
Social Group:
Associated species are present in troops of 4 – 30 or extra.
Sclater’s guenon History of Distribution:
Sclater’s guenon was thought probably to be extinct till it was discovered to be surviving in 1988. It’s present in Nigeria in small scattered populations alongside the decrease course of the Niger River and within the R. Niger delta.
Solely 5 discrete populations are at present identified. Two of them happen near villages the place they’re thought-about to be sacred and are subsequently protected. Every protected group numbers fewer than 250 people.
The opposite populations are situated in swamp forest on the Niger River floodplain, in Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve in Anambra State and on the west financial institution of the Cross River close to Utama village.
The species doesn’t happen in any formally protected areas, however, three populations of Sclater’s guenon are identified to be protected by native individuals who take into account the monkeys to have sacred standing.
Principally due to looking and habitat fragmentation and loss, thus rising inhabitants isolation and decline, Sclater’s guenon is listed as a susceptible species.
Sclater’s guenon is understood to happen in captivity solely on the [http://www.cercopan.org Centre for Schooling, Rehabilitation, and Conservation of Primates and Nature in Cross River State, Nigeria.
Some primate species have confirmed remarkably immune to habitat fragmentation, with teams surviving in forest patches in West Africa which were remoted by human actions. In Nigeria, a number of populations of Sclater’s guenon stay in small sacred forests.
The current evolutionary historical past of those primates has seen forest cowl in the west and central Africa a lot diminished on a number of events as a consequence of local weather change prior to now 20,000 years, so preadaptations to fragmented habitats might have taken place.
This is, without doubt, one of the rarest and most fascinating monkeys in Africa…”
Sclater’s guenon is taken into account by some to be a subspecies of the red-eared guenon, Cercopithecus erythrocytes.
People are at present an important predator of C. sclateri. Looking is widespread throughout its vary, and the species faces rising forest loss and degradation.
At current, it doesn’t happen in any formally protected space. Nonetheless, there may be hope for the way forward for this particular primate, because it has been capable of persisting within the human-dense area of southern Nigeria, doubtless due to its small dimension, adaptability, cryptic nature, and normal non-preferred standing amongst hunters relative to different monkeys.
The Sclater’s guenons held at CERCOPAN are the ones Sclater’s on the earth identified to happen in captivity. In reality, many primatologists have by no means seen a Sclater’s guenon, and features of their behaviour and ecology within the wild stay basically unknown.
CERCOPAN’s Sclater’s kind the premise for the one captive-breeding facility for this endangered primate, please take into account supporting our efforts by adopting our Sclater’s group.
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