De Brazza's Monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus) is an African monkey found in tropical riverine forests in north-eastern Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Uganda, Kenya and south-western Ethiopia. The species is listed as 'least concern' on the IUCN Red List.
De Brazza's Monkey is not recorded on the Global Invasive Species Database (2011) and no records could be found of any introduced populations other than those reintroduced into areas where the species was previously recorded.
Crop raiding of maize and potatoes has been noted in this species, and it is considered an agricultural pest in Kenya. De Brazza's Monkey is also able to carry various diseases that present a threat to human safety, including herpes B virus.
De Brazza's Monkey is classed as a 'serious' threat under the Vertebrate Pest Committee's list of exotic animals (Vertebrate Pest Committee, 2007). It is not listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
In Tasmania, De Brazza's Monkeys are 'controlled animals' under the Tasmanian Nature Conservation Act 2002. There is a low likelihood of this species establishing in Tasmania. Climate modelling indicates that Tasmania's climate is dissimilar to the species' natural range.
Following the initial risk assessment, the Department considers permitting the importation of animals assessed as ‘serious risk’ into the State as long as appropriate mitigation measures, enforced through a wildlife exhibition licence, can be identified and applied.
Mitigation options to reduce the risk associated with importing De Brazza's monkey include:
- Limiting importation to registered wildlife parks or zoos to ensure the holding facility meets the stringent keeping standards Tasmania applies to all institutions.
- Requiring any wildlife park or zoo to submit a De Brazza's monkey species management plan (including enclosure details) prior to import.
- The wildlife exhibition facility can clearly demonstrate they have proficient keepers for that particular species.
Assessment Documentation
De Brazzas Monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus) (970Kb)