Proboscis monkey

코주부원숭이

A monkey of the mangrove forests of Borneo. Males have an enormous drooping nose that can reach about 17 cm and helps amplify calls. It has a pot belly and is a strong swimmer that crosses rivers.

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At a glance

Class: Mammals
Lives in: Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei)
Diet: Plant eater (herbivore)
Weight: about 15 kg
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN EN)
Habitat: rainforests, wetlands

Quick answers

Where does the Proboscis monkey live?

It lives in rainforests, wetlands. On the globe you can find it near Borneo (Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei).

How big is the Proboscis monkey?

It grows to about 15 kg.

What does the Proboscis monkey eat?

Its diet: plant eater (herbivore).

Is the Proboscis monkey endangered?

It is listed as Endangered (IUCN EN).

The proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) is a large monkey with an unusually big nose, found only on the island of Borneo. It lives mostly in mangrove forests and along the coast. Its fur is orange or reddish-brown on the back, and it has a long tail and a round pot belly.

Males are much bigger than females: they weigh about 16 to 22 kilograms, while females weigh 7 to 12. A male's nose is huge and hangs down below his mouth. It is rated Endangered, and its home is the coast and river edges of Borneo. The proboscis monkey shares the forest with orangutans and silvery lutungs.

That famous nose

Scientists think the male's long nose may have developed through sexual selection, because females seem to prefer males with louder calls, and a bigger nose makes the call louder. The nose of a female is smaller and the nose of a young monkey is turned up. Babies are born with a blue face that darkens to grey at about 2.5 months and becomes cream-coloured by about 8.5 months.

Swimmers of the mangroves

Many of the monkey's toes are partly webbed, and it is a strong swimmer that crosses rivers. The animal was made known to Westerners by Baron Friedrich von Wurmb in 1781, who sent specimens to Stamford Raffles in Europe. Two subspecies are recognised, though they differ only a little, and not every expert accepts the second one.

Fun facts

Males have huge noses that can hang below the mouth, and these monkeys are good swimmers with partly webbed feet.
A male's nose can hang below his mouth.
Babies are born with blue faces.
Its toes are partly webbed, which helps it swim.