Allen’s Swamp Monkey

Allen’s swamp monkeys^[1] are small, stocky monkeys with gray to brown fur and long tails.

• These highly social primates live in the swamp forests of central Africa, where they mostly spend their time in the trees.
• Allen’s swamp monkey is comparable to guenons in size and body proportions. Both males and females have dark khaki fur with a whitish underside.
• Typically, their faces are framed by long dark gray fur on their cheeks, outlined with dark lines.
• The skin on their neck is light gray. Both sexes have a patch of orange-red skin under the tail.
• Females have prominent oestrous bulges (other female guenon species do not have this), and males have light blue scrotal skin.
• The light webbed fingers and toes indicate their partially aquatic lifestyle.

• Allen’s swamp monkeys use gestures and calls to communicate with their squadmates.
• The swamp monkey is a very social primate, living in groups of 40 or more.
• The lifespan of this species is estimated to be around 28 years.
• Allen’s swamp monkey’s tail is longer than its entire body (about 2 feet long)!
• It was named after Joel Asaph Allen, an American zoologist.