A Black crested mangabey has given birth in Safaripark Beekse Bergen.

A Black crested mangabey has been born in Safaripark Beekse Bergen. With the birth of this monkey, the park contributes to the management program of this species that is vulnerable in nature.

"The cub is doing very well. We have already seen him drinking with the mother. She protects her little one well, which is why it was difficult to tell what the gender is. We now know that it is a male," says head of animal care Kris Jansen.

Population declines
The Black crested mangabey is found in Congo, where this species lives in subtropical and tropical rainforests. The population of this monkey species labeled "vulnerable" is declining rapidly. "This has to do with the destruction of habitat by logging, mining and the construction of roads and railroads," Jansen explains.

These monkeys are also hunted for their meat. "Finally, Black crested mangabey face war in their habitat," Jansen said. Because the Black crested mangabey population is declining, there is a management program for this species. "We are therefore extremely pleased that we can make a major contribution to this program with this birth," Jansen said.

Communicating through the crest
The Black crested mangabey, as its name implies, can be recognized by the crest on top of its head. He not only uses sounds to communicate with other monkeys, but also his crest. Normally the crest is straight up, but when these animals feel threatened it makes a low humming sound and moves its crest up and down a bit. By pointing its crest backward, this species of monkey shows that it is angry.

This species lives high in the tree and very occasionally comes down to drink or Search for food. The Black crested mangabey eats fruits, leaves and flowers, among other things. Because these monkeys live in trees, they can also climb extremely well. In addition, they can jump up to five meters far. This is where their long tail comes in very handy: it provides balance while walking and jumping through the trees.

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