# Eastern black-and-white colobus (*Colobus guereza kikuyuensis*) The Eastern black-and-white colobus is a playful monkey with beautiful black and white fur. They love to swing from tree to tree in their forest homes, showing off their long tails and acrobatic skills! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eastern black-and-white colobus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mantled_Guereza.jpg&width=800) Photo: en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mantled_Guereza.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern black-and-white colobus is a striking monkey with long, flowing black fur. It features a distinctive U-shaped mantle of white fur on its back and a white face. A bushy white tuft on its tail makes it easily recognizable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Colobus ## Interesting facts - Baby colobus are born pure white, gradually changing to black and white fur! - Colobus groups use loud calls and snorts to chat across the forest! - Their name means 'mutilated' in Greek, due to their almost absent thumb! - They live high in trees, rarely touching ground, even for water! ## Special abilities - **Leaf-Eating Superpower:** Eastern black-and-white colobus has a multi-chambered stomach that helps them digest tough leaves. - **Balancing Act Tail:** Eastern black-and-white colobus uses its long, bushy tail to expertly balance while leaping and climbing through trees. - **Leaping Master:** Eastern black-and-white colobus can jump huge distances between trees due to powerful leg muscles, helping them navigate. - **Gripping Hands:** Eastern black-and-white colobus has long fingers and toes with special pads, allowing firm branch grasping. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 45-72 cm - **Weight:** 9-14 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-24 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-2 - **Gestation:** 147-180 days ## Diet & Feeding These monkeys are mostly leaf-eaters, using a special stomach to digest tough plant material. - **Primary Foods:** Leaves, Fruits, Flowers, Tree bark - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — A main predator that hunts colobus in the forest canopy. - **Eaten by:** [Crowned Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crowned-eagle) (*Stephanoaetus coronatus*) — Large raptor that preys on colobus monkeys from above. - **Depends on:** Sycamore Fig (*Ficus sycomorus*) — Colobus often feed on the leaves and fruits of fig trees. ## 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. - [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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [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 don't try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern black-and-white colobus? 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 Eastern black-and-white colobus? 45-72 cm ### How much does Eastern black-and-white colobus weigh? 9-14 kg ### How long does Eastern black-and-white colobus live? 15-24 years ### How fast can Eastern black-and-white colobus move? 30 km/h ### What does Eastern black-and-white colobus eat? These monkeys are mostly leaf-eaters, using a special stomach to digest tough plant material. ### Where is Eastern black-and-white colobus usually found? Forests ### How does Eastern black-and-white colobus hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Minnesota Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/minnesota-zoo) — Minnesota, US · Zoo - [Sunset Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sunset-zoo) — Kansas, US · Zoo - [Jackson Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-zoo) — Mississippi, US · Zoo [View all places to see Eastern black-and-white colobus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-black-and-white-colobus) ## 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: [Eastern black-and-white colobus Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-black-and-white-colobus)