Erythrocebus patas

Diurnal and highly terrestrial, patas monkeys spend much time foraging on the ground rather than in the canopy; they travel widely each day searching for seeds, grasses, gum, fruit and insects. Social structure typically consists of female-bonded groups (several adult females and their offspring) with one resident male; bachelor males form separate all-male bands. Communication includes loud alarm barks, visual displays and scent marking; they are known for rapid, cursorial escape behavior and strong vigilance at dawn and dusk.

Reproduction is often seasonal and tied to regional rainfall/food peaks; females reach sexual maturity earlier than males. Gestation lasts about 5–6 months (roughly 150–180 days), usually producing a single infant; interbirth intervals vary with ecology but are commonly around one year when conditions permit. Young are reared primarily by the mother, with some tolerance and alloparental interactions within the group.

Adaptations for terrestrial life include long, powerful limbs, a slender body, and digitigrade posture that support rapid running—the patas is among the fastest primates on the ground. Coat coloration is reddish to tawny above with paler underparts and facial markings; sexual dimorphism occurs with males larger and heavier than females.

Patas monkeys evolved as open-habitat specialists across much of sub-Saharan Africa; historically, they exploited savanna-grassland mosaics and gallery forests. Their ecology and social system have been well-studied as examples of terrestrial primate adaptation and predator-avoidance strategies.

Erythrocebus patas is generally assessed as Least Concern at the species level, but many local populations are declining from habitat conversion, hunting, and human disturbance. Conservation priorities include protecting savanna and gallery-forest habitats, reducing hunting pressure, and maintaining landscape connectivity for their wide-ranging foraging behavior.