Mammals
Diana Monkey
Cercopithecus diana · also called Diana guenon
Moving through the West African canopy alongside a mixed troop of other monkey species, a Diana monkey displays the crescent-shaped white brow marking that gave it a name borrowed from the Roman goddess of the hunt, a striking feature on an increasingly threatened primate.
Overview
The Diana monkey, Cercopithecus diana, is a distinctively marked guenon monkey native to rainforest habitat across parts of West Africa, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast. Its namesake crescent brow marking, frequent mixed-species foraging associations, and ongoing decline from bushmeat hunting and habitat loss make it one of the more visually striking and conservation-sensitive guenon monkeys found anywhere in Africa.
A goddess’s bow on a monkey’s brow
Named for a marking early naturalists thought resembled the hunting goddess Diana’s own bow, this striking guenon has become increasingly rare across much of its West African range, its mythological namesake offering little protection from real-world hunting and habitat pressure.
Status
Vulnerable, having declined due to hunting pressure for bushmeat and the clearing and fragmentation of rainforest habitat across parts of West Africa.
Diana Monkey: common questions
Why is the Diana monkey named that?
This species has a crescent-shaped band of white fur across its brow, a marking said to resemble the bow carried by Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, a distinctive feature that inspired both the species' common name and one of its most recognisable traits.
Why does the Diana monkey travel with other monkey species?
This species often forms mixed-species associations with other monkeys, travelling and foraging together in a partnership believed to improve predator detection for all species involved, since more eyes and ears across a mixed group can spot approaching danger sooner.
Why has the Diana monkey declined?
This species faces significant hunting pressure for bushmeat across parts of West Africa, combined with the clearing and fragmentation of its rainforest habitat, pressures that together have driven a population decline contributing to its classification as Vulnerable.
How does the Diana monkey warn others of danger?
This species produces different alarm calls depending on the type of threat detected, a communication pattern shared with several other guenon monkey species across Africa, allowing troop members to respond appropriately to specific kinds of danger.