The Mandrill baboon is recognized by its olive-colored fur and the colorful face and rump of males.
If you don’t believe it, pay a visit to the zoo and see for yourself. It isn’t a very big ape, just 33 inches long with a tail only four inches long. Scientists are usually able to provide logical explanations for the colors of animals.
We now understand why the mandrill has so many colors. One theory is that it is used to attract mates. It is thought that this group of apes lives mostly on plant food and only very rarely will eat anything else.
Mandrills live in small family groups with one male, one or two females, and children. These animals are very strong and seem to have no enemies.
Leopards sometimes try to capture young mandrills, but they wouldn’t dream of challenging a full-grown adult. One mandrill kept in a zoo lived for 46 years.
