Sierra Leone Diana Monkey $1 2009 BU Crown

Sierra Leone – Diana Monkey – $1 – 2009 – Brilliant Uncirculated Crown – The Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana) is an Old World monkey found in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to the Ivory Coast. It ranges from 15 to 22 inches in length, excluding its tail, which is 20 to 30 inches long and adults weigh between 8 and 15 pounds. Individual Diana monkeys may live for up to 20 years. They are generally black or dark grey, but have a white throat, crescent-shaped brow-band, ruff and beard; the brow-band gave the species its common name, since it was held to resemble the bow of the goddess Diana. The monkeys’ underarms are also white, and they have a white stripe down their thighs, while the backs of their thighs, and their lower backs, are a chestnut color. Apart from the brow-band, ruff and beard, and some fringes on their limbs, their fur is short and sleek in appearance. Like most primates, Diana monkeys can always carry diseases that can be communicated to humans, like yellow fever and tuberculosis, but they are not important carriers of these. The species is regarded as vulnerable by the IUCN as well as by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the chief dangers to them being habitat destruction (they are now virtually confined to coastal areas) and hunting for meat.