# drill (*Mandrillus leucophaeus*) Drills are colorful monkeys that live in the forests of Africa. They have bright faces and love to play with their friends in the trees. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Mandrill ![drill](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Drill_Lincolnparkzoo.jpg&width=800) Photo: Grendelkhan, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drill_Lincolnparkzoo.jpg) ## Appearance The drill has a robust body covered in dark brown to black fur, sharply contrasting with its striking bare face. Its face features a prominent ridge on the nose, bordered by bright pink and purple skin, with a distinctive bright red lower lip, making it visually distinct among primates. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Mandrillus ## Interesting facts - Drills have a tiny, stubby tail, unlike most monkeys! - Each drill has unique facial patterns, like a fingerprint! - Males can weigh as much as an average 10-year-old child! - They communicate with over 20 different sounds, from grunts to shrieks. ## Special abilities - **Powerful Bite:** Drills can crush tough nuts and seeds because of their very strong jaws and large canine teeth. - **Agile Climbers:** Drills have strong limbs and gripping hands that help them climb high into trees to find food and safety. - **Cheek Pouch Stash:** Drills have special cheek pouches that help them store extra food to eat later when they are safe. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 61-76 cm - **Weight:** 10-50 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-30 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 175-182 days ## Diet & Feeding Drills are omnivores, eating many things like fruits, seeds, leaves, and even insects! - **Primary Foods:** fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves, fungi, insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — A top predator that hunts drills in their forest habitat. - **Eats:** Cape fig (*Ficus sur*) — Drills frequently consume the sweet fruits from this tree. - **Eats:** African pear (*Dacryodes edulis*) — Drills eat the oily fruits of this native tree. - **Eats:** ants (*Formicidae spp.*) — Drills forage for various ants, an important protein source. ## 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. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [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:** 3/5 · Moderate Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify drill? 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 drill? 61-76 cm ### How much does drill weigh? 10-50 kg ### How long does drill live? 15-30 years ### How fast can drill move? 35 km/h ### What does drill eat? Drills are omnivores, eating many things like fruits, seeds, leaves, and even insects! ### Where is drill usually found? Forests ### How does drill hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/erlebnis-zoo-hannover) — Niedersachsen, DE · 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: [Drill: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/drill)