DRILL MONKEY

Description

The adult male drill is one of the more colorful monkeys in the world. A mature male has a red chin on a black face with raised grooves on the nose. The rump is colored pink, mauve and blue. These bright colors help his family follow him through the forest. Female drills are less colorful.

Habitat

The drill is mainly found in the African Rain Forests.

Behavior

A single male leads a group of around 20 females and is father to all the young. This group of 20 may join others forming super groups of over 200 individuals. They will often rub their chests onto trees to mark their territory.

A drill can live for about 28 years.

Diet

The drill is omnivorous, with a diet ranging from fruit, herbs, roots to small animals.

Lifestyle

Drills live in large social groups (as many as 20 individuals) with many dominant adult males (but only one leader).  These groups can merge with other groups, creating large groups of over 200 individuals. Besides facial expressions, drills also utilize a wide range of vocal, olfactory, visual and tactile forms of communication to keep their group together, as well as to keep other groups away. They mark their territory by rubbing their chests on trees. Drills are diurnal, so they are most active during the day.

Food

Drills are mainly frugivores (eating primarily fruit), but will also eat insects and edible plants. In addition to those items, the Zoo’s drills also eat vegetables, lettuce and a dry food containing vital nutrients.

Life Cycle

Females reach sexual maturity at about 3 years old, while males are sexually mature at about 6 years old. Gestation is 179-182 days, and a drill female usually gives birth to asingle offspring (there has been one documented case of twins). The offspring stays with its mother for 15-16 months until it is fully weaned. Males will usually disperse from their natal group to form new groups. The average life span is 28-30 years.

Some of My Neighbors (IN THE WILD)

Chimpanzees, olive pigeons, Rumpi mouse shrews, Preuss’s monkeys and African pygmy squirrels

Population Status & Threats

Drills are among Africa’s most endangered primates because their numbers have been declining in all known habitat areas for decades. The decline is due to illegal commercial hunting, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and human development. Unfortunately, fewer than 10,000 drills remain in the wild, and numbers may be as low as 4,000.  Drills are fully protected by law in Nigeria and Cameroon, and portions of their habitat are technically safeguarded as national parks.  However, little real protection from hunting exists for drills, even in so-called protected areas.