Head to head
Zanzibar Red Colobus vs Black-and-White Colobus
Zanzibar Red Colobus
VS Black-and-White Colobus
The Zanzibar red colobus and black-and-white colobus are both leaf-eating colobus monkeys with multi-chambered stomachs, but one lives on a single island and the other across a broad swathe of Africa.
| Zanzibar Red Colobus | Black-and-White Colobus | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Piliocolobus kirkii | Colobus guereza |
| Coat | Reddish-brown and black with a pale face and a long tail for balance | Black with a mantle of long white fur along the sides and a bushy white tail tuft |
| Range | Only Unguja, the main island of Zanzibar off Tanzania | Rainforest and forest across parts of East and Central Africa |
| Stomach | A multi-chambered stomach that ferments tough leaves | A multi-chambered stomach similar in function to that of a cow |
| Diet | Leaves, shoots, and fruit, and sometimes charcoal and burnt wood | Almost entirely leaves, with occasional fruit, seeds, and flowers |
| Distinctive trait | Eats charcoal, which may help to neutralise toxins in the leaves it eats | Newborns are pure white and darken over several months |
| Threats | Loss of forest and deaths from vehicles on island roads | Widespread and not currently considered a major conservation concern |
| Conservation status | Endangered, with a decreasing population | Least Concern, with a stable population |
Zanzibar Red Colobus vs Black-and-White Colobus: common questions
Which colobus eats charcoal?
The Zanzibar red colobus, which is known to eat charcoal, possibly to neutralise toxins in the leaves it eats.
Which colobus is born white?
The black-and-white colobus, whose newborns are pure white and darken over several months.
Where do the Zanzibar red colobus and black-and-white colobus live?
The Zanzibar red colobus lives only on Unguja island in Zanzibar, while the black-and-white colobus lives across parts of East and Central Africa.