Roloway Monkey Cercopithecus roloway
Critically endangered
Ghana, Ivory Coast
This highly arboreal species was once confined to moist evergreen and moist semi-deciduous primary and old secondary lowland forests and swamp forests. Field studies on its ecology and behaviour are scarce. A group of 14–15 individuals in Bia National Park, Ghana, had a home range of 190 ha, and a diet of fruits (including mature seeds), insects and leaves (Curtin 2002). A mean group size of 6.85 (range: 2.89–11.85) and a population density of 36 individuals per km² were recorded in parts of the Tanoé swamp forest in Côte d’Ivoire during a survey in 2009 (S. Gonedelé Bi, unpublished data). This species is threatened by hunting and habitat degradation and loss. The relatively large body size of this species, its conspicuousness and the value of its meat and skin make it a preferred target of hunters.
Large-scale deforestation in the region, through logging, conversion to agricultural land and charcoal production, continues to reduce the habitat available to this species, especially in Côte d’Ivoire (McGraw 1998, McGraw and Oates 2007, Bitty et al. 2015).
IUCN Red List
Between 2001 and 2017, Côte d’Ivoire is estimated to have lost 17% of its tree cover (Global Forest Watch 2019) and this loss has been exacerbated by a large increase in the human population in the southern forest zone.
The Roloway Monkey of #IvoryCoast and #Ghana is one of the most threatened monkeys in the world. Critically endangered on @IUCNredlist main threat is deforestation for consumer-driven #palmoil #coal #agriculture. #Boycott4Wildlife
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The Roloway Monkey is one of the most threatened monkeys of the Upper Guinean Forest block (Oates 1996). It has previously been recorded from a number of protected areas across the region. However, recent surveys failed to confirm the presence of Roloway in several forest reserves in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
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Further Information

Koné, I., Oates, J.F., Dempsey, A., Gonedelé Bi, S., McGraw, S. & Wiafe, E. 2019. Cercopithecus roloway. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T4232A92384429. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T4232A92384429.en. Downloaded on 15 February 2021.
Emmanuel Danquah1 and Elvis Hackman Tetteh Logging Activity Adversely Impacts Primate Diversity and Density in the Kwabre Rainforest of Ghana. International Journal of Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7497326
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