Cyber Flashcards

10 primate species yOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF

#7

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
DRILL
also known as the simakobu monkey
What is the scientific name?
Mandrillus leucophaeus
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
MONKEY
Where do they live?
Drills are found in the dense, ancient rainforests of a geographically limited area of western Africa. There are two subspecies: Mandrillus leucophaeus, found north of the Sanaga River in Cameroon and Nigeria, and Mandrillus leucophaesus poensis, found only on Bioko Island, located about 20 miles (32 km) off the west coast of Africa.​
Picture
Africa
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Where drills live (in gold). Map: IUCN
New world or old world?
OLD WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Drills are among Africa's least-studied monkeys
  • Their dense habitat and shyness make field observations challenging
  • Drills are one of the largest monkeys in the world
  • Once thought to be a type of forest baboon, drills are more closely related to white-eyelid mangabeys, and are in the same genus as mandrills
What threatens their future?
Drill numbers have declined over 50% in the last 30 years. Dwindling habitat, habitat fragmentation, and illegal bushmeat hunting continue to threaten drills’ survival. Drills have also fallen prey to growers of bananas, cocoa, and manioc, who view the elusive monkeys as pests to be eradicated. Hunters will use dogs to drive large troops of drills into trees, where they can be easily shot en masse.
Today, approximately 80% of all drills live in Cameroon, where the human population has surged and drill habitat has yielded to oil palm plantations, oil exploration, and other economic developments.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT drills
Go to the drill Primate Species Profiles page
are Drills good pets?
NO
  1. Drills are very large and strong. They are wild animals with very impressive canine teeth that could inflict a great deal of harm, whether intentionally or unintentionally. 
  2. Their diet and environmental needs cannot be adequately met or replicated in human living conditions. 
  3. To become pets, baby primates are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  4. When taken from the wild, their mothers are killed to capture the baby.
  5. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  6. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches. Some die as a result of their captivity.
  7. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  8. Drills belong with other langurs in West Africa. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
Copyright © New England Primate Conservancy 2019. You may freely use and share these learning activities for educational purposes. 
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