Mammals Active during the day

Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey

Cercopithecus petaurista

iNaturalist Wikipedia

Meet West Africa’s heart-nosed acrobat. The Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey is a social canopy-dweller famous for its striking facial markings and incredible agility in the treetops.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Body length 35-45 cm (14-18 in) with a tail reaching 55-70 cm (22-28 in); weight ranges from 2-4 kg (4.4-8.8 lbs).

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Colors

Olive-brown or greyish back with a pale yellowish-white underbelly; distinctive bright white heart-shaped spot on the nose; blue-grey skin around the eyes.

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Key Features

Bright white, heart-shaped spot on the nose
Extremely long, thin reddish-brown tail
Blue-grey skin circles around the eyes
White or pale yellow throat and chest

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 7-10 AM, 3-6 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet This species is primarily frugivorous, with fruits and seeds making up the bulk of its diet. They supplement this with young leaves, flowers, and occasionally insects or small invertebrates for protein.

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Habitat Found in a variety of wooded environments including primary and secondary tropical rainforests, gallery forests, and coastal scrubland.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey Live?

Native to the tropical regions of West Africa, the Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey is a signature species of the Upper Guinean forest block. Its range extends from the coastal forests of Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone through Liberia and Ivory Coast, reaching as far east as the Volta River in Ghana and Togo. They are forest specialists that thrive in areas where the canopy is dense enough to provide safe travel routes away from ground-based threats.

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7 Countries

850K km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

Ivory Coast GH Ghana Liberia Sierra Leone Guinea Togo Guinea-Bissau

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey is a highly social and agile primate that lives in cohesive groups of 10 to 30 individuals. These troops are usually led by a single dominant male and consist of several adult females and their dependent offspring. They are known for being extremely vocal, using a complex system of 'pyow' and 'hack' calls to communicate within the troop and warn of approaching predators like leopards or crowned eagles.

These monkeys are predominantly arboreal, spending most of their lives in the forest canopy. They are remarkably active during the day and are often found in 'polyspecific' associations, meaning they travel and forage alongside other monkey species, such as Diana monkeys. This behavior is thought to improve their chances of spotting predators and finding patchy food sources in the dense West African rainforests.

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Camera Tips

To successfully capture the Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey on a trail camera, you must think vertically. These primates rarely descend to the forest floor except to cross narrow gaps or visit low-hanging fruit. For the best results, mount your camera at a height of 3 to 6 meters (10 to 20 feet) on a tree that overlooks a 'primate highway'—a horizontal branch or a tangle of vines that provides a natural bridge between trees.

Position your camera to face slightly downward toward these branches. If you are operating on a private property or forest edge where they are known to visit, you can encourage them to pause by identifying their favorite seasonal fruiting trees. Placing a camera near a ripening wild fig or oil palm can yield fantastic results as the whole troop will take turns feeding in that specific spot. Use a high-speed trigger and a multi-shot burst mode, as these monkeys move with incredible speed and agility.

Lighting is a major factor in the deep forest. If your camera is under a thick canopy, ensure your settings allow for a higher ISO or use a model with a high-quality infrared flash for low-light morning hours. During the rainy season, look for spots where the sun breaks through the canopy in the late afternoon; monkeys will often seek out these sun-drenched branches to dry their fur and groom one another, providing excellent opportunities for clear, high-contrast photos.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey.

Campbell's Monkey

Has a darker, more grizzled coat and lacks the bright white, heart-shaped nose marking.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lesser Spot-nosed Monkeys are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. Their peak activity occurs in the early morning shortly after sunrise and again in the late afternoon before they settle into the canopy for the night.

These monkeys are forest specialists and generally do not enter urban backyards. However, if you live on a property bordering a West African forest, maintaining native fruiting trees like figs or oil palms and preserving natural canopy corridors will encourage them to visit your area.

Their diet consists mainly of fruit, which provides energy, but they also eat seeds, blossoms, and young leaves. To get their necessary protein, they will forage for insects like caterpillars and grasshoppers.

No, they are rarely found in suburban environments. They prefer dense forest cover and are usually only seen in rural areas or farms that are adjacent to primary or secondary tropical forests.

While both have nose spots, the Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey is significantly smaller and has a more distinct heart-shaped white spot. The Greater Spot-nosed Monkey (*Cercopithecus nictitans*) is much larger, has a darker coat, and is typically found further east in Central Africa.

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