LOCOMOTOR RESPONSE TO PREDATOR THREAT IN RED-COLOBUS MONKEYS

The locomotor patterns of red colobus monkeys (Colobus badius) were sc ored under three different conditions: normal daily activities, in sig ht of a terrestrial predator, and after the playback of a crowned hawk -eagle call. Relative to the normal movement activities, the terrestri al and avian predator experiments showed fleeing movements to be very rapid with an increase in the frequency of leaping and vertical boundi ng. Movement distances also increased in response to the avian playbac k experiments. Although rare, it is possible that rapid movements may better reflect anatomical design than movements during normal daily ac tivities.