Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus, also known as the green monkey or the African green monkey, is a species of Old World monkey belonging to the family Cercopithecidae. It is native to various regions of western Africa, including countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
The green monkey is a medium-sized monkey with a distinctive appearance. It has a slender and agile body, covered in a dense coat of fur that ranges from greenish-gray to olive-green in color. This species possesses a long face with a hairless muzzle, small ears, and forward-facing eyes. It also exhibits a pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males typically larger than females.
Green monkeys are highly social animals, usually found in groups known as troops. These troops can consist of 20 to 60 individuals, comprising both male and female monkeys of various ages. They are primarily arboreal creatures, spending the majority of their time in the forest canopy, but are also known to come down to the ground to forage for food.
Being primarily herbivorous, green monkeys feed on a diverse diet consisting of fruits, leaves, seeds, flowers, and occasionally insects. Their feeding habits play a vital role in seed dispersal, contributing to the ecology of the forests they inhabit.
Due to their adaptable nature, moderate population size, and relatively wide distribution, the Cercopithecus aethiops sabaeus species is considered of least concern in terms of conservation status. However, they may face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation caused by human activities such as deforestation and urbanization. Furthermore, their use as laboratory animals in biomedical research has also impacted wild populations to some extent.
