# Red-tailed Monkey (*Cercopithecus ascanius*) Red-tailed monkeys are playful and lively animals with beautiful red tails! They live in trees and love to swing around, making them fun to watch. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Ascanian Monkey, Red-tailed Guenon ![Red-tailed Monkey](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red-tailed_monkey_profile.jpg&width=800) Photo: Denise, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-tailed_monkey_profile.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-tailed Monkey has a distinctive rusty-red tail, especially vibrant on the underside. Its face features a white nose spot and white cheeks, contrasting with dark fur around the eyes. The body fur is typically olive-grey to blackish, helping it blend into the forest. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Cercopithecus ## Interesting facts - Baby red-tailed monkeys are born with dark fur and a paler tail. - Some red-tailed monkeys love to "groom" other animals, like antelopes! - Their bright red tails can grow twice as long as their bodies! - They communicate with over 20 different sounds, like chirps and barks! ## Special abilities - **Acrobatic Leapers:** Red-tailed Monkeys can leap between trees because of their powerful legs and long tails, helping them navigate the forest canopy with incredible agility. - **Alarm Call Experts:** Red-tailed Monkeys have a variety of specific alarm calls that help them warn their troop about different predators, keeping everyone safe. - **Nimble Foragers:** Red-tailed Monkeys use their nimble fingers to skillfully pluck small fruits and insects, helping them find delicious snacks hidden in the leaves. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 32-50 cm - **Weight:** 2.5-4.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-2 - **Gestation:** 160 days ## Diet & Feeding These omnivores enjoy a varied diet of fruits, leaves, and insects found high in the forest canopy. - **Primary Foods:** Fruits, Leaves, Insects, Flowers, Seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/leopard) (*Panthera pardus*) — A powerful predator in their forest environment. - **Eaten by:** [Crowned Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crowned-eagle) (*Stephanoaetus coronatus*) — This large raptor hunts monkeys from the air. - **Depends on:** Red-stem Fig (*Ficus sur*) — Monkeys frequently feast on its sweet fruits. - **Eaten by:** African Golden Cat (*Caracal aurata*) — A swift feline predator that hunts in the undergrowth. ## 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. - [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:** 2/5 · Low Always watch monkeys from a distance and never try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-tailed 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 Red-tailed Monkey? 32-50 cm ### How much does Red-tailed Monkey weigh? 2.5-4.5 kg ### How long does Red-tailed Monkey live? 15-20 years ### How fast can Red-tailed Monkey move? 35 km/h ### What does Red-tailed Monkey eat? These omnivores enjoy a varied diet of fruits, leaves, and insects found high in the forest canopy. ### Where is Red-tailed Monkey usually found? Forests ### How does Red-tailed Monkey hunt? Foraging ## 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: [Red-tailed Monkey: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-monkey)