Mammals · Primates · Cercopithecidae

Patas Monkey

Erythrocebus patas

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The patas monkey is the most terrestrial primate in Africa after the baboons, and the one best adapted to open savanna. It has very long, slender limbs, a lean body and a reddish coat. It lives in groups of related females with a single adult male, who acts as a sentinel on the fringes. When a predator appears, the male usually moves away making a noise to draw it off while the females and young hide in the tall grass.

Weight

4 kg – 13 kg

Size

60 cm – 88 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaDesertGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal In herds Savanna Desert Grassland Mammal

13countries 11parks44same family

Fun facts

It is the fastest primate in the world: it reaches more than 50 kilometres an hour at a run over open ground.
At night the group disperses and each animal chooses a different tree rather than bunching together: that way a nocturnal predator cannot surprise them all at once.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Open savanna, wooded steppe and semi-desert of the Sahelo-Sudanian belt and East Africa
Size at birth: Born with its eyes open, clinging to its mother's fur from the first day
Sexual maturity: 2.6 years
Gestation / incubation: 5.5 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrocebus_patas

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: All year round in the savannahs of the Sahel and East Africa, by day; it is the fastest primate on the ground and is seen sprinting across open country.