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Characteristics

The gelada is a large, heavy-bodied primate comparable to baboons in size and build. The average adult male has a body length of 68 to 75 cm (27 to 30 in), excluding a 32 to 64 cm (13 to 25 in) tail and a weight of 15.5 to 20 kg (34 to 44 lb). The smaller females usually measure 50 to 65 cm (20 to 26 in) in length (with the exception of the 45 to 55 cm (18 to 22 in) long tail) and 8.3 to 13.8 kg (18 to 30 lb) in weight.^[1] Sexual dimorphism in this species is particularly high, as adult males tend to be 60% larger than females.

The gelada's coat consists of long, thick hair that grow to lengths of up to 8 cm (3.1 in). These hairs are brownish in colour with yellow, white and gray tints. In males, the outer part of the hairs are pale, particularly around the face, neck and hindlegs. Their feet and shoulders also tend to be dark, and when fully matured they have a cape of hair that covers the torso, back, shoulders and elbows. In contrast, females are relatively uniform in coat colour and tend to have much shorter coats. The skin underneath is black for both sexes, however, an hourglass-shaped patch of naked, pink skin is present across the chest and neck. This patch of skin has vesicles attached to it in females, which increases in size during the mating season, as fluid builds up and accumulates at a concentrated area. For males, the patch of skin has been described as a secondary sexual characteristic that indicates social status based on how vibrant it is.

Much like other primates, geladas have opposable thumbs which help in holding grass when feeding. Compared to baboons, geladas have a shorter, less hypognathous snout and a slightly smaller tail that ends in a tuft. They have hairless faces with an upward turning nose and pale pink eyelids. Their skull is large and robust and resembles that of baboons. The jaw contains around 32 fairly sized teeth including four curved canines that measure 3.9 to 4.9 cm (1.5 to 1.9 in) long.

Distribution

The gelada is endemic to the montane grasslands of the Central Ethiopian Plateau.

References

^ Kingdon, Jonathan (2015-04-23). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals: Second Edition (in German). Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 127–128. ISBN 978-1-4729-2135-2.

[1] Kingdon, Jonathan (2015-04-23). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals: Second Edition (in German). Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 127–128. ISBN 978-1-4729-2135-2.

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