Mandrills

If you have ever seen a monkey that looks like it just raided a makeup counter, you have met a mandrill. With their brilliantly striped faces and neon-bright behinds, they are definitely some of the most striking animals on the planet. But there is so much more to these jungle dwellers than their flashy looks. Let us jump right into some seriously cool trivia about these incredible primates.
Mandrills
  1. They are the largest monkeys in the world. While they might share a family tree with smaller primates, male mandrills are absolute heavyweights, occasionally weighing in at over 70 pounds.
  2. Rafiki has an identity crisis. The wise old primate from The Lion King is frequently called a baboon, but those bright blue and red cheek stripes mean he is definitely rocking mandrill colors.
  3. Their teeth are genuinely terrifying. An adult male mandrill has canine teeth that can grow over two inches long. That is roughly the same size as a full-grown lion’s fangs.
  4. They have built-in snack bags. Like hamsters, mandrills have cheek pouches that stretch to hold massive amounts of food, which they save to munch on later when they are in a safer spot.
  5. Bright colors mean big status. For the males, a more vividly colored face and rump means they are higher up on the social ladder. The brightest guys get the most attention from the females.
  6. Excitement makes them glow. Well, not literally, but when a mandrill gets agitated, angry, or excited, those red and blue colors actually flush and become noticeably brighter.
  7. They hang out in massive crowds called hordes. While some monkeys stick to small families, mandrills gather in huge numbers to socialize, forage, and protect each other.
  8. The record horde is mind-boggling. The largest mandrill group ever recorded in the wild had over 1,300 individuals hanging out together. It is considered one of the largest gatherings of non-human primates ever documented.
  1. Smiling does not mean what you think it means. If a mandrill bares its teeth in a wide grin, do not panic. This is actually a friendly gesture they use to greet each other peacefully.
  2. They are quite the omnivores. While they love sweet fruits and crunchy seeds, they are not picky. They will happily snack on spiders, snails, and even the occasional small antelope or tortoise.
  3. Head-shaking is an invitation to play. When a mandrill wants to goof around with its friends, it will quickly shake its head back and forth as if saying no.
  4. The boys and girls look completely different. Males are nearly twice the size of females and have much brighter colors. The females are smaller, quieter, and sport more muted, olive-green coats to blend in with the forest.
  5. They are grounded, mostly. Unlike monkeys that swing high up in the canopy all day, mandrills spend most of their waking hours walking on the forest floor, though they do climb up into the trees to sleep safely at night.
  6. They use scent to communicate. Mandrills have a special gland on their chest that they rub against tree branches to mark their territory and leave messages for the rest of the horde.
  7. They need our help. Sadly, these beautiful animals are listed as vulnerable. Habitat loss and hunting in their native West African rainforests are major threats to their survival.

Sources & References

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/mandrill

National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/primates-monkeys-blue-scrota-genitalia

New England Primate Conservancy: https://neprimateconservancy.org/mandrill/

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

This AI-assisted post was rigorously curated and fact-checked for accuracy by:
Picture of Martin Roháček

Martin Roháček