ianmichaelthomas
Worried? Who's Worrried?
I caught an unusual expression on this wonderful alpha male mandrill at RMZ.
These guys are a favourite of Zoo visitors - partly because they are so gorgeously coloured, and partly because of the popularity of the Walt Disney "Lion King" films in which a wise old shaman/counsellor was portrayed as a mandrill.
What amazing colours! Of course, the equally colourful bottoms of the mandrills are a very big source of amusement to the many small children visiting the Zoo. No real surprise!
This handsome fellow is the big male, or alpha male of the Mandrills at Melbourne Zoo.
Mandrills are social creatures and live in large groups, primarily including females and young and led by a single dominant male. Most adult males are solitary.
Mandrills are considered very vulnerable. They are African primates. The Mandrill is found in the tropical rainforests of southern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
Recently Mandrills were considered to not be baboons, as originally thought. This was explained during a Keeper's Talk, which is a terrific feature of Melbourne Zoo. A great way to learn about the animals on display.
Mandrills are the largest species of monkey.
The word mandrill means "man-ape".
The Mandrill is recognized by its olive-colored fur and the colorful face and rump of males, a coloration that grows stronger with sexual maturity; females have duller colors. This coloration becomes more pronounced as the monkey becomes excited and is likely to be an example of sexual selection. The coloration on the rump is thought to enhance visibility in the thick vegetation of the rainforest and aids in group movement.
Males can weigh up to 60 lbs (30 kg), females about half as much (30lbs). They can grow to be about 1 m long (39 in) and can survive up to 31 years in captivity. Females reach sexual maturity at about 3.5 years.
The Mandrill is an omnivore and acquires its food by foraging (mainly plants, insects and smaller animals) from the ground as it is terrestrial. Its main natural predators are leopards.
Although the Mandrill does not normally hunt larger prey, males have been observed to hunt and consume duiker (a small antelope).
Royal Melbourne Zoo, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Worried? Who's Worrried?
I caught an unusual expression on this wonderful alpha male mandrill at RMZ.
These guys are a favourite of Zoo visitors - partly because they are so gorgeously coloured, and partly because of the popularity of the Walt Disney "Lion King" films in which a wise old shaman/counsellor was portrayed as a mandrill.
What amazing colours! Of course, the equally colourful bottoms of the mandrills are a very big source of amusement to the many small children visiting the Zoo. No real surprise!
This handsome fellow is the big male, or alpha male of the Mandrills at Melbourne Zoo.
Mandrills are social creatures and live in large groups, primarily including females and young and led by a single dominant male. Most adult males are solitary.
Mandrills are considered very vulnerable. They are African primates. The Mandrill is found in the tropical rainforests of southern Nigeria, southern Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Congo.
Recently Mandrills were considered to not be baboons, as originally thought. This was explained during a Keeper's Talk, which is a terrific feature of Melbourne Zoo. A great way to learn about the animals on display.
Mandrills are the largest species of monkey.
The word mandrill means "man-ape".
The Mandrill is recognized by its olive-colored fur and the colorful face and rump of males, a coloration that grows stronger with sexual maturity; females have duller colors. This coloration becomes more pronounced as the monkey becomes excited and is likely to be an example of sexual selection. The coloration on the rump is thought to enhance visibility in the thick vegetation of the rainforest and aids in group movement.
Males can weigh up to 60 lbs (30 kg), females about half as much (30lbs). They can grow to be about 1 m long (39 in) and can survive up to 31 years in captivity. Females reach sexual maturity at about 3.5 years.
The Mandrill is an omnivore and acquires its food by foraging (mainly plants, insects and smaller animals) from the ground as it is terrestrial. Its main natural predators are leopards.
Although the Mandrill does not normally hunt larger prey, males have been observed to hunt and consume duiker (a small antelope).
Royal Melbourne Zoo, Parkville, Victoria, Australia