Patas Monkey

This slender monkey is one of the fastest monkeys in the world. It has long, thin legs for running, and short digits. The Patas monkey lives in troops of up to around 40 individuals. If the troop is threatened, a male will distract the predator while the females and babies get away to safety! The males also watch out for danger. However, the troops are led by females, and the girls are actually the ones who fight and protect their territories. These monkeys are omnivorous. They eat buds, leaves, roots and fruit, and also grubs and insects. They live in West to East Africa, in shrub/grassland habitats. Unlike most monkeys, the Patas monkey does not spend most of it's time in the canopy. They are highly sociable monkeys, and are fairly common.