GOLDEN MONKEY SAFARI

The Golden monkey which is scientifically called Cercopithecus mitis kandti is being tracked in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in south western Uganda. It is endangered specie and little is known about its behavior and ecology.

Facts
Size
48-67 centimeters (males), 46-53 centimeters (females).

Weight
4.5 – 12 kilograms (males), 3.5 -4.5 kilograms (females).

Lifespan
Approximately 19 years.

Habitat
Afromontane and bamboo forests: virunga volcanoes (DRC, Rwanda and Uganda- Mgahinga gorilla National park) and the afromontane forests of Gishwati forest Reserve and Nyungwe National Park.

Diet
Omnivorous. Eat 20-30 plant species.

Gestation
5 months (140 days) and breed seasonally, give birth to a single offspring – born with all its fur and eyes open. Females eat the placenta.

Predators
Mainly humans, dogs, crowned eagles.

Status
Endangered.

Physical characteristics

Golden monkeys males have a reddish color on their back and on the dorsal part of their sides as well as some grizzled darker patches. Females are lighter in color and have less grizzled brown patches.

Behavior

They live in groups of  30-80 individuals led by an adult male. The females defends her territory and the males stay for some time and then later leave the group. The females solicit the males and the males can copulate with every female in the group. Males use calls to communicate territoriality and fighting, females to display group cohesion and alertness and subadults to display submissiveness and to stimulate mobbing behavior. They use visual expressions for communication.

                        Chimpanzee Tours
Primate safari - 6 days
Chimpanzee Habituation - 4 days
Kibale Forest Chimps -3 days
Ngamba Island tour - 1 day

More information on Chimps
Chimpanzee tracking rules & regulations.
Where to go for chimp trekking.
Main Chimpanzee Safari Page