Meet Adelaide Zoo’s amazing Colobus!
Adelaide Zoo is home to five stunning Black-and-white Colobus monkeys.
Our male Colobus Jasiri was born at Monarto Safari Park in 2008 and in 2019, was introduced to three female Colobus, Amanda, Zamba, and Adale who arrived from La Vallée Des Singes in France to become part of Adelaide Zoo’s breeding program. They wasted no time in wowing visitors with their striking appearance and energetic leaps.
In December 2023, owe were overjoyed to welcome Adelaide Zoo’s second ever Black-and-white colobus baby to mum Zamba. The little male is being pampered by the whole troop.
In April 2024, our joy continued when Adale gave birth to her another baby, The little one still has an all-white coat and is clinging close to mum
As leaf-eaters, these black and white friends certainly know the importance of eating their greens! Every day they are given a mixture of yummy ingredients nicknamed ‘primate cake’ by our keepers, which is filled with all the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. Here at the zoo, they also enjoy snacking on chopped up fruits and vegetables, but fresh leaves ripped straight from the branch are definitely their favourite.
Black-and-white Colobus monkeys are known for their striking physical features including their glossy black colouring, a long, white mantle of hair that extends from their shoulders to their lower back, and some very long tails that end in a huge white tuft.
These stunning monkeys live in social groups of up to 15 individuals, normally led by a singular adult male. Black-and-white Colobuses can be seen bounding through tree canopies, leaping from branch to branch and emitting impressive roaring vocalisations. The woodland and forest habitats these guys are found in range from Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon in central western Africa, to Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania in the east of the continent.
Colobus babies look very different to their parents – they’re completely white! After a gestation period of only five months, mothers give birth to an infant that quickly becomes the focus of the troop’s attention, with the bub being carried around by most members of the family. After almost a year, the little one no longer needs to be fed by mum and becomes fully independent.
Not all Black-and-white Colobus monkeys are the same – eight subspecies are currently recognised. Sadly, many of these subspecies are under threat from deforestation and habitat destruction for agriculture. These gorgeous monkeys have also historically been hunted for their impressive pelts, and killed for the bushmeat trade.
Want to make sure Colobuses stay a bound ahead of extinction? There are heaps of ways you can support these remarkable monkeys.
