Monkeys with Red Butts are widely recognized for their distinctive appearance. These monkeys primarily inhabit the Amazonian Rainforests, parts of Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Their red buttocks, which may vary in shade from bright red to dark pink to maroon, are what separate these monkeys from the rest of the primates. Though it may add a humorous element, it plays quite an important role in their social behavior and communication.
The darkness of the shade of the buttocks may signal to the other members information like maturity, age, readiness to mate, and even fertility. So without much ado, let’s jump on to our article.
Why do Monkeys have red or brightly colored butts?
Communication via signals is an essential aspect of the animal world and is done in various ways. Monkeys have red butts, which help to communicate with other individuals about their readiness to mate, as it is a signal of sexual receptivity.
The redness and swelling in most monkeys correspond largely to their menstrual cycle stages, and by interpreting the color or tint of the butt, the opposite individual will know whether it is the right time to mate or not.
Now, let’s discuss the list of 10 monkeys with red butts found in different parts of the world.
List of 10 Monkeys With Red Butts On Earth
1. Mandrill
| Scientific Name | Mandrillus sphinx |
| Size | 70-95 centimeters (males), 55-70 centimeters (females) |
| Diet | Plants, fruits, seeds, leaves, insects |
| Life Span | 20 years |
| Geographic Location | Native to West Central Africa |
The first species in this list of Monkeys with red Butts is the largest and the most colorful monkey, the Mandrill. One can easily recognize these beings by their colorful face and snout, and bright red butts.
Mandrills are quite stocky beings and live in groups that may sometimes consist of several hundred individuals. While mandrills are not currently considered endangered, they are a vulnerable species, with their populations threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation and hunting.
2. Olive Baboons
| Scientific Name | Papio anubis |
| Size | 33 inches on an average |
| Diet | Omnivorous diet; fruits, grasses, leaves, seeds, lichens, worms, rodents, and also other smaller primates |
| Life Span | 30 years |
| Geographic Location | Throughout Africa |
The second monkey in this list of monkeys with red butts is the Red Butt Baboon. Well, red-butt baboons aren’t any separate species of baboon but are individuals who have reached sexual maturity and are ready to mate.
One can easily identify baboons from the brown coats and long snouts in open grasslands or scanty woody areas. The buttocks of female baboons swell up and become redder in response to their menstrual cycle, and this is simply a function of ovulation.
Its redness and swelling reach their peak when the female is most fertile, and with time, it returns to its normal state.
3. Rhesus macaque
| Scientific Name | Rhesus macaque |
| Size | 19-21 inches |
| Diet | Fruits, seeds, roots, buds, cereals |
| Life Span | 25 years |
| Geographic Location | India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, etc. |
The next monkey species is undoubtedly one of the most common old-world monkeys in Asia, especially in the South and Southeast.
Yes, you have guessed it right, it’s the Rhesus Macaque. They mostly live in forests and in cities, which provide them with a regular food source.
Like baboons, the hindquarters of Rhesus monkeys’ females, too, respond to their menstrual stages, and those which have more red bottoms are more likely to be ready to mate than the others.
4. Celebes Crested Macaque
| Scientific Name | Macaca nigra |
| Size | 17-24 inches |
| Diet | Fruits, invertebrates |
| Life Span | 15-20 years in the wild |
| Geographic Location | Sulawesi in Indonesia |
Both male and female Celebes have red bottoms. However, what differentiates the females from the males is the bright red bottoms, especially when they are at the peak of their menstrual cycle, i.e. when they are in heat.
During those times, their bottoms swell up to a great extent but return to normal once the days of heat are over.
5. Japanese Macaque
| Scientific Name | Macaca fuscata |
| Size | 20.6-22.4 inches |
| Diet | Plants, insects, leaves, fallen seeds |
| Life Span | 28-32 years |
| Geographic Location | Native to Japan |
The Japanese Macaque is another old-world monkey native to Japan, as its name suggests. Like their Southeast Asian counterparts, their red buttocks, especially during the mating season, makes them a member of this list of Monkeys with red Butts.
The red hindquarters help in signaling whether the individual is ready to mate or not. The redness and the swelling are a function of the ovulation cycle.
6. Chimpanzee
| Scientific Name | Pan troglodytes |
| Size | Standing height of 3.11 -4.11 feet |
| Diet | Omnivore; feeds on fruits, seeds, and also other monkeys, bushbabies, warthogs |
| Life Span | 35 years |
| Geographic Location | Forests and Savannah of Tropical Africa |
Though Chimpanzees do not have a pronounced red butt, like the other monkey species, we have included them in this list of Monkeys with red butts.
The females especially have hairless pale red bottoms that may vary in shade and size, corresponding to the ovulation cycle.
According to researchers, the eyes of primates are sensitive enough to differentiate the tints of red and comprehend accordingly whether the female is ready to mate or not.
7. Bonnet Macaque
| Scientific Name | Macaca radiate |
| Size | 14-24 inches |
| Diet | Fruits, flowers, nuts, seeds, insects |
| Life Span | 35 years |
| Geographic Location | Southern India |
The Bonnet Macaque, a close relative of the Rhesus monkeys, occupies the 7th position in this list of Monkeys with Red Butts.
Bonnets come with brownish-grey fur and pink to red bottoms, which again, like the other species, correspond to their menstruation cycles.
A striking feature of Bonnet Macaque is their social structure which follows “equal rights for all’, where there is the least competition among males, and they often engage in several grooming activities, something that differentiates them from other macaque species.
8. Hamadryas Baboon
| Scientific Name | Papio hamadryas |
| Size | 31 inches |
| Diet | Grasses, fruits, seeds, worms, barks, leaves, insects |
| Life Span | 27-30 years |
| Geographic Location | Eastern Africa |
The Bonnet Macaque, a close relative of the Rhesus monkeys, occupies the 8th position in this list of Monkeys with Red Butts. Bonnets come with brownish-grey fur and pink to red bottoms, which again, like the other species, correspond to their menstruation cycles.
A striking feature of Bonnet Macaque is their social structure which follows “equal rights for all’, where there is the least competition among males, and they often engage in several grooming activities, something that differentiates them from other macaque species.
9. Guinea Baboon
| Scientific Name | Papio papio |
| Size | 20-45 inches |
| Diet | Fruits, grasses. flowers, seeds, insects, carrion, birds |
| Life Span | 40 years |
| Geographic Location | Western Africa |
In the 9th position of this list of monkeys with red butts, we have Guinea Baboons. These, like their other counterparts, have red butts, which tells us about their sexual readiness.
The IUCN lists Guinea Baboons as a near-threatened species due to their small range and severe habitat loss.
10. Chacma Baboon
| Scientific Name | Papio ursinus |
| Size | 20-45 inches |
| Diet | opportunistic omnivorous feeder feeds on fruits, grasses, seeds, birds, insects |
| Life Span | 40 years |
| Geographic Location | Southern Africa |
In the last position, we have one of the largest monkey species, the Chacma Baboon, better known as the cape baboon.
They are social beings, like other monkey species, and are particularly more aggressive, and often become sub-urban due to habitat loss.
However, they often fall prey to large predators like leopards and African Wild dogs and therefore show aggression to fend them off.
Here, we conclude our article on “List of 10 Monkeys With Red Butts On Earth.” We hope you like our post. If yes, then please turn on the post notification so that you will get the latest updates.
References:
- HowStuffWorks- Baboons: The Monkeys with Scarlet Booties
- A-Z Animals- Red-Butt Monkeys vs Blue-butt Monkeys
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A zoology student turned writer. Nature has always been a magnet to me, and to unearth some of its secrets through my articles is my prime intention. If not engaging myself with nature and anime content, you can always find me going through some Bengali classics or filling the air with some soulful Tabla beats. An artist, trying to throw some colors to my blank canvas of life.
