Drill

An adult male drill has a striking appearance. Its face is black outlined by a ring of white hair. The red lower lip adds a touch of colour to the face, while the mauve and blue rump forms an exotic rear end. The colouration of the rump is determined by the testosterone level in the blood and indicates the rank of the male. The brighter the hue, the more attractive a male is to the females.

The drill is a shy monkey that lives on the ground. It is seminomadic, roaming the rainforest in search of food. The species is endangered due to the destruction of its habitat for commercial use, which has left the drill with little area to survive. Another major threat cause is poaching for its uniquely sweet meat called “bushmeat”.

The dominant male marks his territory by rubbing his chest onto trees and depositing secretions from the chest glands.