Red colobus
[6] The members of this genus are found in western, central and eastern Africa, and the species have largely allo- or parapatric distributions.They are primarily arboreal and most are restricted to humid forests, but the Zanzibar red colobus prefers coastal thickets and scrub.Red colobuses are highly sensitive to hunting and habitat destruction, and have been referred to as probably the most threatened taxonomic group of primates in Africa.[12] The diet of red colobus monkeys consists mainly of young leaves, flowers, and unripe fruit.The stomach of the red colobus is also sacculated into four chambers (similar to unrelated ungulates) and larger than those of other monkeys of a comparative size.[15] Research indicates that chimpanzee predation may be a major selection factor on some red colobus populations.In addition to sustenance, evidence suggests that chimpanzees prey on red colobus to reinforce social status, as well as to attract sexual partners.[17] When under attack, the red colobus males congregate to defend their group, while the females gather their infants and try to escape.The frequency of these shouts is increased with the number of females and infants in the group as a way to spread the news of an expected attack.It seems that chimpanzees tend to favor the red colobus as prey whenever the two are in the same territory, hunting in groups of up to 20 individual chimps.