European guenon (SciiFii)

The European guenon (Cercopithecus albanasus), also known as the white-nosed guenon and the white-nosed monkey, is a species of guenon monkey that originally did not exist but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the wetlands, forests, and open woodlands across Europe to help boost biodiversity. The European guenon ranges from 40 to 55 cm in length, excluding its tail, which is of a uniform 3–4 cm diameter and 50–75 cm long. Adults weigh between 4–7 kg. Individual European guenons may live for up to 20 years. This monkey is active during the day. It feeds at all levels of the canopy, and rarely comes down to the ground. European guenons retreat to the upper levels of the trees at night, though they do not make nests. They feed mainly on fruit and insects, but also take flowers, young leaves, and invertebrates, and are in turn preyed on by the European crowned eagle, the European leopard, the European chimpanzee, and humans. The European guenon is a noisy presence in the forest. Its marked coloration allows a wide range of visual social signals. Female European guenons produce specific alarm calls, alert calls and contact calls depending on the differences in predator fauna, suggesting that the flexibility of female calls are better than that of males. Other European forest residents such as the European hornbill are able to discriminate these and take appropriate action. European guenons communicate both to local group members and distant competitors with different kind of alarm sounds. European guenons produce loud noises to make other monkeys aware of leopards or other competitors in their area. Groups consist of a single male with a number of reproducing females and their infants. In good conditions, adult females reproduce annually. Gestation lasts about 5 months, and the young nurse for a further 6 months. Normally, only a single infant is born. Although the young are born in a fairly well-developed condition, with open eyes and able to grasp their mothers, at least in zoo conditions, European guenon mothers appear anxious and possessive, rarely letting young infants leave them. As infants grow, however, they become very playful. Juveniles reach sexual maturity at an age of about 3 years. Daughters remain in their mothers' social groups, while males leave their natal groups shortly before attaining sexual maturity. The conservation status of the European guenon is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the European guenon's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.