Ecology and Status of the Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus)

The drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is an endangered, terrestrial primate endemic to the Lower Guinean rainforests between the Cross and Sanaga Rivers and on the island of Bioko in Central Africa. Rarely studied in the wild, the current status and ecological needs of the species are poorly understood. The book presents data on drill diet, seed handling, group size and structure, and conservation status from a study in the Korup National Park, Cameroon. Ecological findings are compared to reports from the drill’s sole congener – the mandrill (M. sphinx). Threats to the species’ survival are assessed and a list of practical shortto medium-term conservation recommendations are proposed for the Korup region.