Behavior

The patas monkey lives in multi-female groups of up to 60 individuals (although much larger aggregations have been reported). There is a weak dominance rank. The group contains just one adult male for most of the year.^[4] During the breeding season, there are multi-male influxes into the group. Once juvenile males reach sexual maturity (around the age of 4 years old) they leave the group, usually joining all-male groups. The adult females in the group initiate movement of the group with the male following their lead.^[4]
The patas monkey avoids dense woodlands and lives in more open savanna and semi-deserts. The patas monkey has a remarkably high reproductive rate, perhaps as an evolutionary response to the high adult mortality rates associated with this strongly terrestrial lifestyle.^[5]