# Diana monkey (*Cercopithecus diana*) Diana monkeys are playful and curious animals that live in the forests of West Africa. They have beautiful black and white fur and love to swing from tree to tree! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Diana monkey](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cercopithecus_diana.jpg&width=800) Photo: Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cercopithecus_diana.jpg) ## Appearance The Diana monkey has a striking black body with a distinctive white 'beard' framing its face. A bright white stripe runs down its inner thigh, contrasting with a reddish-brown rump patch. Its brow is pale, giving it a unique masked appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Cercopithecus ## Interesting facts - Baby Diana monkeys are born with dark fur and gradually get their adult colors as they grow older. - Diana monkeys often live in groups alongside other monkey species for extra safety and foraging success! - Their long, skinny tail can be almost twice as long as their body, helping them balance when climbing! - They spend almost all their time high in the trees, rarely coming down to the forest floor! ## Special abilities - **Sophisticated Alarm System:** Diana monkeys can make distinct calls to warn their group about different predators, like eagles or leopards, keeping everyone safe. - **Agile Arboreal Jumper:** Diana monkeys use powerful legs to leap between trees with amazing speed and precision, easily navigating their forest home. - **Keen-Eyed Forager:** Diana monkeys have sharp eyesight that helps them spot tiny insects and ripe fruits high in the dense forest canopy. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 40-55 cm - **Weight:** 2-5 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 160-170 days ## Diet & Feeding These monkeys love to eat fruits, leaves, and insects, helping to spread seeds in the forest! - **Primary Foods:** Fruits, Leaves, Flowers, Insects, Seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — Apex predator in their forest home. - **Eaten by:** [Crowned Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crowned-eagle) (*Stephanoaetus coronatus*) — Powerful bird of prey, a danger from above. - **Eats:** African Oil Palm (*Elaeis guineensis*) — Eats ripe fruits, helping spread its seeds. - **Eats:** Cape Fig (*Ficus sur*) — Feeds on its sweet fruits, aiding seed dispersal. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Diana monkey? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Diana monkey? 40-55 cm ### How much does Diana monkey weigh? 2-5 kg ### How long does Diana monkey live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Diana monkey move? 30 km/h ### What does Diana monkey eat? These monkeys love to eat fruits, leaves, and insects, helping to spread seeds in the forest! ### Where is Diana monkey usually found? Forests ### How does Diana monkey hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Metro Richmond Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/metro-richmond-zoo) — Virginia, US · Zoo ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Diana monkey: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/diana-monkey)