Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) — Endangered

Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), a stocky forest monkey with a dark face. — Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus).
Image: Clément Bardot, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category: EN · Endangered
Animal group: Mammals
Population trend: Decreasing
FaunaHub record reviewed: 2026-06-16
Checked against IUCN: Matches source — IUCN's 2020 global assessment of Mandrillus leucophaeus says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The drill is a stocky forest monkey closely related to the mandrill, with a dark face and colourful rump. It is assessed as Endangered.

It lives in large groups on the forest floor of west-central Africa.

Range & habitat

Forests of Cameroon, Nigeria, and Bioko Island (Equatorial Guinea).

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

Hunting for bushmeat
Habitat loss
Fragmentation

Why it matters

One of Africa's most threatened primates with a small range, the drill is a flagship for protecting the forests of the Nigeria-Cameroon border region.

Gallery

A drill resting. — Drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus); this individual is in a zoo.
Image: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Drill

IUCN Red List — look up Drill (authoritative status)
Animal Diversity Web

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the drill related to the mandrill?

They are close relatives in the same genus, both large, ground-dwelling forest monkeys; the drill has a black face, while the mandrill has the famous red-and-blue face.

Why is the drill Endangered?

Published assessments cite hunting for bushmeat, habitat loss, and fragmentation across its small range. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.