Head to head
Drill vs Mandrill
The drill and mandrill are each other's closest living relatives, sharing a similar large-bodied build and social structure, but one has become one of the most recognisable primates in the world while the other remains genuinely obscure.
| Drill | Mandrill | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Mandrillus leucophaeus | Mandrillus sphinx |
| Facial colouration | Darker, far less vivid | Brilliant blue and red ridges |
| Range | Nigeria, Cameroon, Bioko Island only | Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo |
| Public recognition | Little known | Widely recognised |
| Main threat | Bushmeat hunting, habitat loss | Bushmeat hunting, habitat loss |
| Conservation status | Endangered | Vulnerable |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Rainforest | Rainforest |
Drill vs Mandrill: common questions
Why is the mandrill so much more famous than the drill?
The mandrill is known for some of the most vivid facial and rump colouration of any mammal, with dominant males showing brilliant blue and red ridges, a visual spectacle the drill entirely lacks, having a much darker, far less vividly coloured face despite being the mandrill's closest relative.
Which species has the smaller range, the drill or the mandrill?
The drill has by far the smaller and more restricted range, confined to a narrow forest region spanning parts of Nigeria, Cameroon, and Bioko Island, compared with the mandrill's broader range across rainforest in Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo.
Do the drill and mandrill live in similar social groups?
Yes, both species live in large social groups that can include multiple adult males, a shared social structure between these two closely related monkeys, even though the drill's much smaller range makes such groups considerably rarer to encounter than the more widespread mandrill's.