Mona monkey
Scientific name: Cercopithecus mona
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
Mona monkeys are compact primates with distinctive facial markings: white upper eyelids, a white nose spot, and a white lower lip patch contrasting with dark facial skin. Males are noticeably larger than females, with a grey-brown dorsal coat, white underparts, and a long tail; a small tuft of hair crowns the head.
Size and weight
Males: 4.5–7.5 kg, body length 40–55 cm; females: 3–5 kg, body length 36–48 cm. Tail length: 50–75 cm.
Habitat
Mona monkeys inhabit dense evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, including rainforest canopy and gallery forests. They occupy altitudes from sea level to approximately 2,000 m, preferring areas with thick vegetation and substantial fruiting trees.
Distribution
Found in West and Central Africa from Senegal and Guinea eastward to Kenya and Tanzania. Habitat preference is primary and secondary forest with continuous canopy connectivity; they avoid open savanna.
Diet
Mona monkeys feed primarily on fruits (especially figs when abundant), supplemented by leaves, seeds, insects, and occasionally bird eggs; diet shifts seasonally with fruit availability.
Behaviour
Diurnal and arboreal, traveling and foraging in mixed-sex groups of 10–60 individuals through the canopy and mid-story; highly vocal with distinct alarm and contact calls; generally remain in the upper forest strata but descend to forage on the ground.
Hunting tips
Track mona monkeys by observing fresh droppings beneath fruiting trees and listening for their characteristic high-pitched alarm calls and loud contact vocalizations. Approach fruiting fig trees and dense canopy patches early morning or late afternoon when feeding activity peaks; move slowly and quietly through understory to avoid startling the group. Position yourself downwind and use natural cover to scan overhead branches; patience is essential as these arboreal animals move swiftly through the canopy when disturbed.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.