Proboscis Monkey: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Great Apes and Leaf Monkeys · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. An adult male's nose can grow longer than 10.2 cm and droop below his mouth. One idea is that a big nose makes his calls louder.
2. It may be the most water-loving primate. It swims across rivers, jumps from branches into the water and can swim 20 m underwater.
3. Its menu follows the seasons: mostly fruit from January to May, then mostly leaves from June to December.
4. Now and then it chews the cud, a bit like a cow, which helps it digest its food better.
5. Males honk to keep their group informed. They even have a special honk for babies, which they also use to reassure.

The quiz

1. Where does an adult male proboscis monkey's nose hang?

• Up over his forehead
• Lower than his mouth (correct)
• To one side of his face
• Tucked inside his mouth

The male's long nose hangs lower than his mouth.

2. How far can a proboscis monkey swim underwater?

• It cannot swim
• Up to 1 m
• Up to 20 m (correct)
• Up to 2 km

It is a fairly good swimmer, able to go up to 20 m underwater.

3. What does it mostly eat from June to December?

• Leaves (correct)
• Fish
• Insects
• Seeds

It eats mostly leaves from June to December and mostly fruit earlier in the year.

4. What does the proboscis monkey sometimes do to digest better?

• Swallows pebbles
• Sleeps upside down
• Eats only at night
• Chews its cud (correct)

It occasionally chews its cud to digest its food more efficiently.

5. Who is the males' special honk aimed at?

• Crocodiles
• Babies (correct)
• Other males far away
• Birds

Males have a special honk for infants, also used to reassure.

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