The red macaque (scientific name: *Erythrocebus patas*) is distributed in grasslands and semi-desert regions from West to East Africa. Unlike most other monkeys, red macaques primarily live in wooded or forested areas. Instead, they prefer to live in open terrain.
Red monkeys have evolved a variety of ways to survive on open ground. They can run very fast, up to 34 miles per hour (55 kilometers per hour) – making them the fastest primates on land. When threatened, they can climb trees to escape predators, but they rely primarily on their running speed.
Because of the dangers of living on the ground in Africa, they reproduce very quickly compared to other primates to offset their high mortality rate.
Adult male patalis macaques have bushy fur, white whiskers, and a white underbelly, giving them a greyhound-like appearance. Females have similar but less striking patterns and body shape. They are approximately 50-70 cm long, excluding their roughly equal-length tails. Males weigh an average of 12.5 kg, while females weigh only 6.5 kg. What do patalis macaques eat? Patalis macaques are omnivorous tetrapods.
Their diet consists of a variety of plant materials and animal prey. Patas typically feed on leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, geckos, chameleons, bird eggs, etc. They mostly feed in the morning and evening. They are very active during the day and rest during hot weather.
They typically live in a group consisting of one male and six females, along with their offspring. The dominant female leads the group, while the male is relegated to a peripheral role.
When males spot predators such as cheetahs, they make themselves conspicuous and then flee at high speed, drawing the predator away from females and cubs hidden in nearby tall grass. Small, solitary male groups continuously attempt to infiltrate the breeding group and mate with females or drive away the male group.
Single births occur during the rainy season, with a gestation period estimated to be five to six months. Young monkeys develop rapidly, with females reaching maturity at three years old and males at four, a shorter maturation period than many smaller monkeys.
Red-eared macaques have a hierarchical system, with the female as the leader, deciding the activities of the entire group. Male red-eared macaques are mainly responsible for guarding. Young males leave the group after reaching sexual maturity (around 4 years old). They mostly live in groups of about 12. Their range is approximately 45-50 square kilometers.
Aside from resting and sleeping in the trees, red monkeys spend the rest of their time on the ground. To escape attacks from predators, they have developed exceptional long-distance running skills, capable of running 50 kilometers in an hour – incredibly fast! The red monkey kingdom is an independent society, with a king leading his many concubines. The male monkeys, with their large canines, patrol around the females, opening their mouths wide to scare away any intruders.
To observe situations in the distance, the red monkey often stands upright on its hind legs, using its tail for support, and stands at a high place to look around. When it discovers an enemy, it shouts loudly and orders its wives and concubines to flee.
There can only be one male red macaque in a group, while there are 20 to 30 females. The females also have different statuses and are ranked. That is, from the first wife to the second wife, the higher the rank, the more powerful the one.
