Red Colobus Monkeys (Piliocolobus spp.)

Red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus spp.) are the most threatened group of monkeys in Africa. The entire genus is threatened with extinction, with > 75% of the 18 taxa listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2021). We provide insights from existing literature on the conservation status of five critically endangered red colobus monkeys frequently listed among the World’s Top 25 Most Endangered Primates: Miss Waldron’s red colobus (P. waldroni), Pennant’s red colobus (P. pennantii), Niger Delta red colobus (Piliocolobus epieni), Preuss’s red colobus (P. preussi), and Tana River red colobus (P. rufomitratus), as indicative representatives of the genus to highlight the general plight. Populations of all these endemic, range-restricted species are declining at alarming rates and P. waldroni may already be extinct. Hunting by humans, habitat loss and degradation, and other threats are persistent across their range. Protected areas are the primary sites for their conservation even though some unprotected forests are reportedly important strongholds that merit further protection, especially as the area occupied by red colobus is shrinking across Africa. Therefore, organized around seven continent-wide priority actions, a red colobus action plan identifying priority sites and recommended actions for all 18 taxa has been developed, and a red colobus conservation network and a working group have been operationalized to catalyze efforts to stem the tide of extinction.