# King colobus (*Colobus polykomos*) The King colobus is a beautiful monkey with long, fluffy fur and a special black and white coat. They love to swing through the trees in their forest homes and are very playful and social animals. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Colobus Monkey ![King colobus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Colobus_polykomos.jpg&width=800) Photo: frank wouters, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colobus_polykomos.jpg) ## Appearance The King colobus has a strikingly beautiful coat of glossy black fur, dramatically contrasted by a long, flowing white cape around its shoulders. It features a bright white tail tuft and white facial markings, making it instantly recognizable among other forest primates. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Colobus ## Interesting facts - King colobus babies are born with pure white fur, but they quickly turn black as they grow! - King colobus spend most of their lives high up in the trees, rarely coming down to the ground! - These monkeys got their name 'colobus' because they have a very tiny, almost missing, thumb! - They communicate with each other using a variety of booming calls that echo through the forest. ## Special abilities - **Leafy Power Digestion:** King colobus can digest tough leaves because it has a specialized multi-chambered stomach, helping it get nutrients from food others can't. - **Canopy Acrobatics:** King colobus has long, powerful limbs and a balancing tail that helps it swing and leap gracefully through high forest trees. - **Silent Jumper:** King colobus has a reduced thumb (vestigial) and strong fingers that help it grip branches tightly for incredible, silent leaps. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 60-70 cm - **Weight:** 6-14 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 175-190 days ## Diet & Feeding Mostly eats leaves, but also enjoys fruits, flowers, and seeds found high in the forest trees. - **Primary Foods:** Leaves, Fruits, Flowers, Seeds, Buds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Crowned Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crowned-eagle) (*Stephanoaetus coronatus*) — a primary aerial predator of young and adult colobus. - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — a significant ground predator in the colobus habitat. - **Eats:** Rough-leaved Fig (*Ficus exasperata*) — colobus consume its leaves and 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. - [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. - [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 like monkeys. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify King 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 King colobus? 60-70 cm ### How much does King colobus weigh? 6-14 kg ### How long does King colobus live? 15-25 years ### How fast can King colobus move? 30 km/h ### What does King colobus eat? Mostly eats leaves, but also enjoys fruits, flowers, and seeds found high in the forest trees. ### Where is King colobus usually found? Forests ### How does King colobus hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Peoria Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peoria-zoo) — Illinois, US · Zoo - [Baton Rouge Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/baton-rouge-zoo) — Louisiana, US · Zoo - [Monkey Jungle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monkey-jungle) — Florida, US · Zoo [View all places to see King colobus](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/king-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: [King colobus: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/king-colobus)