Proboscis Monkey Harem — Borneo Riverbank Leap
298.93 $
A male proboscis monkey leaping between riverbank trees in the Kinabatangan River — the bulbous nose, orange coat, and pot belly of the male in full flight, the Borneo rainforest canopy visible behind the crossing gap.
Description
The proboscis monkey — the world’s most distinctive primate by facial morphology — is confined to the mangrove and riparian forests of Borneo, where its riverbank habitat makes it accessible to boat-based photography. The male’s pendulous nose — which amplifies vocalisations and appears to function as a sexual selection signal — is at maximum development in adult males of this species, sometimes reaching below the chin. This image was made from a research boat on the Kinabatangan River in Sabah during the late afternoon activity period when the harem groups move between feeding trees and sleeping sites. The male is captured in a full river-gap leap — the distance visible in the frame between the departure branch and the landing tree communicating the 4-metre leap distance. The mid-air image shows the male’s full body profile: the bulbous nose, reddish-orange dorsal coat, white ventral colouring, and the pot belly that accommodates the enlarged multi-chambered stomach required for its leaf-based diet.
