Greater Spot-nosed (Gentle) Monkey

The greater spot-nosed monkey, also known as the putty-nosed monkey, is an intriguing small Old World monkey within the Cercopithecus mitis group. These monkeys are indigenous to West Africa, thriving in ecotonal regions that span the transition between rainforests and savannahs. Primarily arboreal, they spend most of their time in trees and are noted for their interactions with other monkey species.

These social animals live in groups typically comprising one adult male, several adult females, and their offspring. Much of what we know about their behavior stems from studies on their unique communication methods, particularly their vocalizations.

Male spot-nosed monkeys utilize three primary types of calls: 'booms', 'pyows', and 'hacks'. Each of these calls serves distinct purposes, including functioning as alarm signals. The structure of these alarm calls can vary depending on the type of predator in the vicinity. Remarkably, these monkeys can combine different sounds to form sequences that convey new meanings, demonstrating a considerable level of sophistication.

For instance, the call "pyow" is used to alert others of a terrestrial predator like a leopard, while "hack" signals an aerial predator such as an eagle. When they combine these calls into a sequence like "pyow pyow hack hack hack hack" it indicates the need to relocate to a safer area. This advanced communication is quite noteworthy.

Despite the intriguing nature of their communication patterns, there has been limited recent research on the behavior of the greater spot-nosed monkey. Clearly, there remains much to discover about these intelligent primates!