Piliocolobus waldroni
CR

Piliocolobus waldroni

Local name: Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Waldron's_red_colobus

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Miss Waldron's red colobus faces extinction primarily due to intensive hunting pressure for bushmeat, which has eliminated populations across most of its historical range in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Habitat destruction through logging and agricultural expansion has fragmented remaining forest patches, while the species' large body size and conspicuous nature make it particularly vulnerable to hunters. The combination of overhunting and habitat loss has been so severe that no confirmed sightings have been recorded since the 1970s, leading many researchers to consider it functionally extinct.

Threat summary

Habitat

Miss Waldron's red colobus historically inhabited primary and secondary tropical rainforests in the Upper Guinea forest region of West Africa. The species preferred the upper canopy of dense forests, particularly areas with high tree diversity and abundant fruiting trees.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical dry· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical swamp· majorWetlands (inland) - Bogs, marshes, swamps, fens· major

Conservation measures underway

Legislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus classified as Critically Endangered?
Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Miss Waldron's red colobus faces extinction primarily due to intensive hunting pressure for bushmeat, which has eliminated populations across most of its historical range in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. Habitat destruction through logging and agricultural expansion has fragmented remaining forest patches, while the species' large body size and conspicuous nature make it particularly vulnerable to hunters. The combination of overhunting and habitat loss has been so severe that no confirmed sightings have been recorded since the 1970s, leading many researchers to consider it functionally extinct.
Where does Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus live?
Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus occurs in Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus?
The main threats to Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus are 2.1, 4.1, 5.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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