Mandrill
Mandrillus sphinx
Location in Zoo 2
Congo Gorilla Forest
Habitat 3
Mandrills are exclusive to the African rainforests near the equator.
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mandrill/?source=A-to-Z
Diet 3
These animals usually stick to a diet consisting of fruit, seeds, eggs and the occasional small vertebrae.
Adaptations 3
Physical: The male Mandrill has adapted large canines which primarily serve to caution any approachers.
Male Mandrills also possess yellow beards, bright snouts, colorful rear ends and bright colored genitals which all function as tools to showcase the individual animal's virility. Even though attracting females is the primary goal of their colorful physique, the colorful rear ends also make it easier for a "troop" to stay together while traveling.
They have also adapted large cheek pouches within their mouths which function as storage places for their food. By doing this they have the opportunity to bring their food to a safer place and enjoy their findings at a later time.
All Mandrills have pads of thickened skin on the rear end that provides a weight bearing surface as they sit.
Behavioral: Mandrills usually stay on the floor of the rainforest but when they feel threatened they climb trees for safety.
Physiological: The Male Mandrills posses cutaneous glands (skin), including a sternal gland that they use for scent markings.
Conservation Status/ Threats 3
The Mandrill is considered to be seriously threatened by the IUCN considering the destruction of their natural habitat including the evergreen forest. Not only are they threatened by their loss of natural habitat but also by the high demand for their meat. However steps are being taken in the effort of conserving this animal such as the development of reserves, including the most well-known one, Lope National Park in Gabon.
Taxonomy/ Living Relatives 3
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Mandrillus
Species: Sphinx
Living Relatives: Mandrills are related to others in the Cercopithecidae family, such as the rhesus monkeys and macaques.
Sources 3
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/mandrill/
http://eol.org/pages/310920/overview
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/12754/0
Sources and Credits
- (c) congobronxzoo, all rights reserved
- Adapted by congobronxzoo from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandrillus_sphinx
- (c) congobronxzoo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
