Мandrills (PAPIO SPHINX) (CERCOPITHECIDAE) are found in thick rain-forests of Africa. Mandrill is the largest of baboons (body weight is usually about 25 kg in males, females are not so large).

Мandrills have prominent ridges on each side of the nasal bones with some grooves in each ridge. The skin of grooves in adult male is purple and on the small ridges is blue. The median tract between the outgrowths and area around the nostrils are scarlet. The buttock pads and the skin around them are lilac and become reddish purple at the edges.

Adult males are terrestrial while females and youngs are sometimes found in the trees. All animals forage mainly on the ground turning over stones and fallen off leaves and searching for small invertebrates, gathering nuts, fruits and seeds. Harems, consisting of an adult male, some females with infants and juveniles are typical for mandrills. Sometimes such harems form troops of 200 or more individuals.

When members of a harem are quietly foraging females follow the male voluntary. The male leader is identified by the rallying call. His bright coloration probably helps him to unify the group.

In the wild, mandrills occupy small declining areas, so they are included in the Red List of the IUCN.