drill

The Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is one of Africa’s most threatened primates and the closest living relative of the mandrill. It exhibits strong sexual dimorphism—adult males, weighing around 27 kg, sport dramatic black faces with white beards and pink-and-blue rump coloration, while females (7–12 kg) are smaller and more uniformly colored.

These social primates form groups of about 20–30 individuals led by a dominant male; several of these groups may form larger aggregations exceeding 100 individuals. Drills are diurnal, terrestrial, and inhabit a fragmented range of rainforest under high human pressure. Their estimated wild population is approximately 3,000 mature individuals, making them one of the rarest African primates. Longevity reaches up to 28 years, and they foraged mainly on fruits, seeds, leaves, fungi, and small animals. The main threats include habitat destruction, hunting for bushmeat, and increasing human encroachment—particularly road expansion and logging—combined with climate-related habitat changes. Urgent conservation efforts, including protected area expansion (like Korup National Park), anti-poaching measures, and habitat preservation, are critical to ensuring their survival.