Mammals Active during the day

Lowe's Monkey

Cercopithecus lowei

iNaturalist Wikipedia

Meet Lowe's Monkey, the agile acrobat of the West African canopy. Known for its striking white brow and complex social life, this charismatic primate is a master of life in the treetops.

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0 Habitats

Quick Identification

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Size

Head-body length of 35-55 cm (14-22 in) with a tail reaching 50-80 cm (20-31 in); weight ranges from 2.5-6 kg (5.5-13 lbs)

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Colors

Olive-brown or grizzled-green upperparts with a creamy white or yellowish underbelly; dark limbs and a bluish-grey face with a prominent yellowish-white horizontal brow band.

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Key Features

Distinct yellowish-white horizontal brow band
Long, dark, non-prehensile tail used for balance
White throat and chest contrasting with dark limbs
Small, rounded ears hidden in fur

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 6:30-9:30 AM and 3:30-6:00 PM

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Season Year-round

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Diet Omnivorous, primarily feeding on a variety of wild fruits, seeds, and young leaves, supplemented by insects and occasionally small birds or eggs.

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Habitat Primary and secondary lowland rainforests, gallery forests along riverbanks, and occasionally mature agricultural gardens or plantations.

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Where Does the Lowe's Monkey Live?

Native to the tropical regions of West Africa, Lowe's Monkey is a specialist of the Upper Guinean forest block. Its primary range extends from the central Ivory Coast—specifically east of the Bandama River—through the forested southern half of Ghana, reaching as far east as the Volta River. As a resident species, it does not migrate, though its local movements are dictated by the seasonal ripening of fruit within its forest home.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

2 Countries

150K km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

Ivory Coast GH Ghana

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

Lowe's Monkeys are highly social and diurnal primates that spend the majority of their lives in the forest canopy. They typically live in cohesive family groups consisting of one dominant adult male and multiple females with their young, often numbering between 5 and 20 individuals. They are incredibly agile, using their long tails as rudders while leaping between trees, and are known for their complex vocal communication, which includes specific alarm calls to warn the troop of ground or aerial predators.

In areas where their habitat meets human settlements, they can be quite bold, sometimes raiding backyard fruit trees or cocoa plantations. Despite this occasional proximity to humans, they remain wary and will quickly retreat to the high canopy if they feel threatened. Their daily routine involves a morning period of intense foraging, followed by a midday rest and grooming session, and a second feeding bout in the late afternoon before settling into high, leafy 'sleeping trees' for the night.

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Camera Tips

To successfully capture Lowe's Monkey on camera, height is your most important factor. These monkeys are primarily arboreal and rarely descend to the forest floor unless water is scarce or fruit has fallen. Mount your camera at least 3 to 5 meters (10-15 feet) high, ideally on a sturdy trunk overlooking a known 'canopy bridge'—a place where branches from neighboring trees overlap, creating a natural highway for primates. Angling the camera slightly downward across a horizontal limb will provide the best profile shots.

While traditional baiting isn't recommended for wild primates, placing your camera near naturally occurring food sources is highly effective. Identify fruiting trees such as wild figs, oil palms, or umbrella trees. If you have a backyard garden in their range, targeting a fruiting mango or papaya tree during the ripening season is almost guaranteed to attract a troop. Because these monkeys move in groups, set your camera to 'Burst Mode' or 'Multi-Shot' (3-5 frames) to ensure you capture the whole family and not just the tail of the first monkey to jump past.

Video mode is particularly rewarding for this species. Lowe's Monkeys are vocal and expressive; a 20-second 4K video clip will capture their social grooming, vocalizations, and the unique way they use their tails for balance. Ensure your camera has a fast trigger speed (0.3 seconds or less), as guenons are notoriously quick. If your camera allows for it, set the PIR sensitivity to 'High' to compensate for the distance and the heat-shielding effect of the dense tropical foliage.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Lowe's Monkey.

Campbell's Monkey

Found west of the Bandama River; has a more silvery-grey cast to the fur and a slightly different vocalization pattern.

Mona Monkey

Found further east (Nigeria/Cameroon); features a more prominent white rump patch and reddish-brown back.

Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey

Smaller with a very distinct white heart-shaped spot on the nose, lacking the horizontal brow band of Lowe's Monkey.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lowe's Monkeys are strictly diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours. They exhibit peak activity levels shortly after sunrise (around 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM) when they begin foraging, and again in the late afternoon before dusk.

The best way to attract Lowe's Monkey is to maintain or plant native fruit-bearing trees such as figs, oil palms, or mangoes. They prefer gardens that provide a 'canopy connection' to nearby forest patches, as they are hesitant to cross open ground.

They are generalist omnivores. While they prefer sugary fruits and nutrient-dense seeds, they also consume young leaves, blossoms, and a significant amount of insects, which provide essential protein.

In West Africa, they are common in suburban areas that border forest reserves or remain heavily wooded. They are adaptable and can thrive in 'mosaic' habitats where human gardens meet secondary forest.

While they look very similar, you can tell them apart by their location; Lowe's Monkey is found east of the Bandama River in Ivory Coast and throughout Ghana. Physically, Lowe's Monkey often has a slightly more yellowish tint to its brow and underparts compared to the more silvery-white of Campbell's Monkey.

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