The term ‘colobus’ is a Greek word to mean ‘mutilated’. Colobus monkeys belong to a species of primates that do not have thumbs like it is with chimpanzees, baboons, gorillas and other apes. In other words, the colobus monkeys appear like they have mutilated thumbs. These missing thumbs enable them to grasp tree branches with utmost ease.
There are Five species of the colobus monkeys which include the red colobus, the Angola colobus, the king colobus, the ursine colobus and the black and white colobus monkeys. The black and white colobus monkeys are native to Africa and are also closely related to the red colobus monkeys. The black and white colobus monkeys do possess beautiful black fur with long white mantle. They also have long bushy tails and beards around their faces. Like Golden Monkeys, Colobus Monkeys have a striking appearance.
The black and white colobus is further divided into two groups which are the Eastern black and white colobus and the Angolan black and white colobus. These two groups slightly look different from each other in the sense that the eastern black and white 
colobus have a U-shaped cape of white hair running from the shoulder to the lower back. The Angolan colobus on the other hand has white hairs only flaring out from the shoulders.
The scientific name of the Angolan black and white colobus is called colobus Angolensis while the scientific name of the eastern black and white colobus monkeys is called the colobus Gueraza. Colobus monkeys are generally small and weigh between 4kgs to 14kgs, which is approximately 11 to 30 pounds. The average life span of Colobus monkeys is 20 years in the wild. They can live up to 30 years in captivity.
Colobus Monkeys – Diet, Social Structure, Behavior and Distribution
Colobus Monkeys can be found in areas with dense trees or forests. They live in lowlands, highlands and swamps of Rwanda, DR Congo, Nigeria, Central Africa Republic, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Colobus Monkeys are purely herbivorous. They feed on tender leaves from trees, fruits, flowers and vegetables. The primates have very special complex multi-roomed stomachs that help them digest large quantities of leaves. This is something other monkeys cannot handle. They also have an enlarged salivary gland that help to soften 
food and specialized bacteria to help break down their food.
Colobus monkeys are very social primates that live in troops of about 8 to 15 individuals. These troops are headed by the dominant males who use their leadership skills to keep the troops together and defend their territory. The dominant males have a distinct way of communicating with the other members of the troop by making croaking roars. This is usually so loud that it can be heard from far off distances. Additionally, the male colobus monkeys take turns to sleep, so that the territory is kept safe at all times.
Note: Some groups of the colobus monkeys can temporarily have several male monkeys. These young male monkeys may decide to leave the group to go and find a new troop to join and become the new dominant male. The females on the other hand usually remain with their birth group for their entire life.
Colobus monkeys are the most tree dwelling of all Africa’s monkeys. They rarely descend to the ground like how other primates do. They mainly live on trees, leaping from branch to branch and tree to tree. Colobus Monkeys may be seen on the ground looking for food occasionally but this only happens when the trees are no longer dense and when there is food scarcity. The primates have the ability to leap a distance of up to 50 feet. This great leap is possible thanks to their mantle hairs and tails that act as a parachute during the long leaps.
Colobus Monkeys – Mating and Reproduction
Although it is not scientifically proven yet, colobus monkeys are believed to mate during the rainy season. Their females are then expected to give birth once after every 20 months. Their gestation usually lasts 4-6 months after which an infant is given birth to. The infant colobuses are usually born completely 
white except for their faces that are often pink in color. It is believed that the white color of the infant colobuses is for the purpose of easy identification and spotting of the infants within the dense forests. This allows for ‘allo-parenting’, which means the collective responsibility of looking after the infants born within the troop by all mature females. After a period of 4 weeks, the color of the infant begins to gradually change into the traditional black and white color. The complete transformation process usually goes for about 3 months. How are the infants carried by their mothers? Well, they are carried on their mothers’ abdomens. The infant will cling to the mother’s fur. As the infants begin to grow, they spend most of their time playing with their mothers. When they grow much older (About 7 months), they start playing with the juvenile monkeys of the troop. Colobus monkeys have a high infant mortality rate despite the great care received from their mothers.
Colobus Monkeys – Threats and Conservation
Threats Colobus monkeys are threatened by several predators including large eagles and leopards. However, humans are their greatest threat. Humans hunt them down for their beautiful fur/skins and 
even meat. The fur/skins are used by traditional medicine men and for making costumes among others. Through deforestation or encroaching on Colobus monkey habitat, humans have driven away troops to small pockets of forest where food is scarce. These actions by humans have placed colobus monkeys at a risk of extinction. Organizations like the African Wildlife Foundation and Colobus Conservation are doing a great job in raising awareness about the threat to Colobus Monkeys. They are helping preserve these beautiful monkey species by engaging and sensitizing the surrounding communities on the importance of preserving wild life.
