The Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus), also known as the Monyet Belanda (in Malay), the Bakantan (in Indonesian) or simply the Long-nosed Monkey, is a reddish-brown arboreal Old World monkey that is endemic to the south-east Asian island of Borneo. It belongs in the monotypic genus Nasalis, although the Pig-tailed Langur traditionally also has been included in this genus - a treatment still preferred by some.
Appearance
A distinctive trait of this monkey is the male's large protruding nose, from which it takes its name. The big nose is thought to be used in mating and is a characteristic of the males, reaching up to 7 inches in length. The females also have big noses compared to other monkey species, but not as big as the males. Besides attracting mates, the nose serves as a resonating chamber and works by amplifying their warning calls. When the animal becomes agitated its nose swells with blood, making warning calls louder and more intense. Proboscis monkey belong to the order of Primates, from the family Cercopithecidae and subfamily Colobinae (Bennett & Gombek, 1993). According to Bennett & Gomber (1993), in the Old World, monkey divided into two groups known as cercopithecines and colobines. Proboscis monkey are colonines. Males are much larger than females, reaching 72 cm (28 inches) in length, with an up to 75 cm tail, and weighing up to 24 kg (53 pounds). Females are up to 60 cm long, weighing up to 12 kg (26 lb). This large sexual dimorphic difference is greater than in any other primate.
The Proboscis monkey can be found in island of Borneo in South-east Asia but they are not even found throughout all of Borneo. Proboscis monkey's main habitats are mangrove, peat swamp and riverine forests (Bennett & Gombek, 1993). Monkey also has a large belly, as a result of its diet. Its digestive system is divided into compartments, with bacteria that digest cellulose and neutralize toxins from certain leaves. This lets the monkey eat leaves and remain in the forest canopy. The contents of their stomach weigh about a quarter of their whole body. A side-effect of this unique digestive system is that it is unable to digest ripe fruit, unlike most other simians. The diet consists mainly of seeds, leaves, mangrove shoots and unripe fruit. {Read on}
