Erythrocebus patas

The patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) is a species of catarrhine primate of the Cercopithecidae family native to East Africa. It is the only species in the genus Erythrocebus. These monkeys avoid forests and inhabit savannas and semi-desert areas. The patas monkey reaches 85 cm in length, excluding the tail, which measures 75 cm. There is an evident sexual dimorphism because the weight of the males is from 7 to 13 kg while the females weigh from 4 to 7 kg. His hair is darker reddish on the head. Males have a mane, beard and whiskers. It reaches speeds of 55 km/h, being the fastest primate.

It lives in groups of 7 to 15 individuals that are led by an old male. They are diurnal in habit and feed mainly on insects, fruits, leaves, and even eggs and small mammals. At dusk they climb trees to spend the night.

It has an estimated longevity of about 20 years.

The gestation period is 160 to 167 days.