The drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is among the rarest and least-studied of all catarrhines. Despite exhibiting a unique suite of traits including brilliant coloration in shades of red, blue, and lilac, little is known about its reproductive biology. The drill is a shy, semiterrestrial, forest-dwelling primate, listed by IUCN as Endangered and restricted to southeastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, and Bioko Island of Equatorial Guinea. The most sexually dimorphic of all monkeys alongside its cousin the mandrill, adult males are 3 times the mass of females, possess large canines, and exhibit brightly colored sexual skin on the lower lip, groin, and rump.
For my dissertation research I am studying a semi-free ranging population of drills at Drill Ranch in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Nigeria. To learn more, please check out Pandrillus - an NGO dedicated to conserving this brilliant endangered species. |