Tana River Mangabey
Encyclopedia
The Tana River mangabey (Cercocebus galeritus) is a highly endangered species of primate
in the Cercopithecidae family. Some authorities have included the taxa agilis and sanjei as subspecies
of this species, while others award these full species status.
It is endemic to riverine forest patches along the lower Tana River
in southeastern Kenya
. It is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, which has increased in recent years. This species was, together with the equally endangered Tana River red colobus
, the main reason for the creation of the Tana River Primate Reserve
in 1978, but human encroachment within this reserve continues. Recently, it has been suggested that 20,000 hectares of the Tana River Delta should be transformed into sugarcane plantations, but this has, temporarily at least, been stopped by the High Court of Kenya.
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
in the Cercopithecidae family. Some authorities have included the taxa agilis and sanjei as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of this species, while others award these full species status.
It is endemic to riverine forest patches along the lower Tana River
Tana River (Kenya)
The long Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, and gives its name to the Tana River District. Its tributaries include the Thika. The river rises in the Aberdare Mountains to the west of Nyeri. Initially it runs east before turning south around the massif of Mount Kenya. The river then runs...
in southeastern Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, which has increased in recent years. This species was, together with the equally endangered Tana River red colobus
Tana River Red Colobus
The Tana River red colobus , also called the eastern red colobus, is a highly endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to a narrow zone of gallery forest near the Tana River in southeastern Kenya. As all red colobuses, it was formerly considered a subspecies of a...
, the main reason for the creation of the Tana River Primate Reserve
Tana River Primate Reserve
Tana River Primate Reserve, totaling eleven square miles of scattered forest patches, was set aside in 1976 in order to protect the swampy forests of the Lower Tana River and two endangered primates, the Tana River Mangabey and the Tana River Red Colobus, that are found there.The reserve,...
in 1978, but human encroachment within this reserve continues. Recently, it has been suggested that 20,000 hectares of the Tana River Delta should be transformed into sugarcane plantations, but this has, temporarily at least, been stopped by the High Court of Kenya.