The proboscis monkey cocked its head slightly and closed its eyes. It posed for a few seconds, as if in meditation. A wild visitor to a sanctuary feeding station, this monkey was ‘the most laid-back character’, says Mogens. Its peaceful expression was quite unlike anything he had seen before.
As this monkey matures, its distinctive nose will signal its status and amplify its calls. A male’s nose can eventually grow so big that it hangs over its owner’s mouth. Found only on Borneo and nearby islands, proboscis monkeys are endangered: they depend on threatened forests and are hunted for food and traditional medicine.
Denmark
Mogens is a zoologist and mammal researcher turned wildlife photographer. He has worked with wildlife for over 25 years and on all seven continents. He has published five wildlife books, including works on the wildlife of Africa, Greenland and the Galápagos. Mogens works as a science communication officer and exhibition developer at the Natural History Museum of Denmark.
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