The Diana Monkey (Cercopithecus diana diana) is a primate mammal from Africa.

The Diana Monkey is black or dark-grey with a white throat and a white crescent-shaped band across its eyebrow. It has a white ruff around its neck and a white beard. Its underarms are also white. There is a white stripe down its upper legs. The back of its upper legs and its lower back is chestnut-coloured.

Diana Monkey

It measures about 40-55 centimetres (16-22 inches) tall, excluding its tail. Its tail measures 50-75 centimetres (20-29 inches) in length.

The Diana Monkey is from west Africa, in the countries of Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and the Ivory Coast. It prefers forests.

It is diurnal, active during the day.

It feeds in the trees, and rarely comes to the ground. It eats fruit, flowers, leaves, seeds, and insects. Its predators include eagles, leopards, and chimpanzees.

The Diana Monkey lives in social groups with one dominant male and several females, and their young. Females are pregnant for about 5 months, before giving birth to one live young. The baby is born with its eyes open and with some fur. It develops quickly and becomes mature by 3 years of age. Daughters remain in the group, whereas sons leave the group to form their own group.

The Diana Monkey may live for up to 20 years.

Diana Monkey

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM