Black-crested mangabeys are cool looking primates that come from the Congo region of Africa. Their dark black coats and spiky hairdos make them a must see animal at the Cheyenne Mountain zoo.
These amazing primates live in the mid-level forest canopy. They spend their day leaping from tree to tree or running along branches looking for food. When they come across a food source they must gather it quickly because there is lots of competition. They must also keep their eyes on the sky because the crowned hawk eagle might be looking for them. They have to be ready to run at a moments notice to avoid this predator. Nature has provided them with some unique adaptation that helps them meet the challenges of surviving in the wild.
Come to Monkey Pavilion and meet one of our resident Mangabeys during our Rainforest Review Show.
His name is Tana and he was born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo 19 years ago. He is the youngest of our three male mangabeys and is a very active primate. Tana loves to run around in his outdoor exhibit and forage through the grass looking for yummy treats. Keepers like to put sunflower seeds, cereal, and raisins in the grass so that Tana has hours of foraging time. When he has found all of his treats in the grass you may see him doing other foraging behaviors.
Mangabeys love to peel the bark off the trees in their exhibits with their teeth. This natural behavior is their way of looking for insects to eat. No matter what he is doing he is always fun to watch, so come on by Monkey Pavilion and see what Tana is doing today.
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