Chiru vs collared mangabey

Pantholops hodgsonii compared with Cercocebus torquatus

Key Differences

• Chiru is Near Threatened while collared mangabey is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chiru	collared mangabey
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates)	Primates (Primates)
Family	Bovidae (Bovids)	Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys)
Genus	Pantholops	Cercocebus
Species	Pantholops hodgsonii	Cercocebus torquatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Chiru and collared mangabey share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Chiru

NT — Near Threatened

collared mangabey

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chiru	collared mangabey
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chiru

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

collared mangabey

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Chiru

The Chiru (Pantholops hodgsonii), also known as the Tibetan Antelope, is a bovid endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent high-altitude grasslands of China, with small populations in India. Males bear long, slender, nearly vertical horns that can exceed 70 centimetres in length, while females are hornless. The species is highly adapted to life at elevations of 3,700–5,500 metres, possessing a dense, fine underfur known as shahtoosh — one of the finest animal fibres in the world — which provided insulation against extreme cold but also made chiru a prime target for illegal poaching. Massive hunting pressure during the late twentieth century for shahtoosh shawl production devastated populations, which fell to as few as 75,000 individuals. Following intensified conservation efforts, trade bans, and anti-poaching patrols in China, numbers have partially recovered, though the species remains Near Threatened. Chiru are highly migratory; females undertake remarkable annual migrations of up to 300 kilometres to reach calving grounds in the Chang Tang plateau. Males typically remain at lower elevations year-round. They graze on grasses, sedges, and forbs, and face ongoing threats from climate change affecting high-altitude pasture productivity and from infrastructure development fragmenting migration corridors.

collared mangabey

The Collared Mangabey, known scientifically as <em>Cercocebus torquatus</em>, is an Old World monkey belonging to the family Cercopithecidae. As a member of the genus Cercocebus, <em>Cercocebus torquatus</em> is recognised by its distinctive appearance, which typically includes a pale or white collar of fur around the neck region that contrasts with darker body colouration, lending the species its common name. Collared Mangabeys are typically associated with tropical rainforest habitats, particularly swamp forests and riverine forest environments, where they forage for fruits, seeds, invertebrates, and other food items on both the ground and in the canopy. The species is known for its loud, distinctive calls, which are used for communication across forest territories. Detailed biological traits including typical lifespan, body length, and weight are poorly documented for this species in available literature. The Collared Mangabey is currently assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, primarily due to ongoing habitat loss from forest clearance and hunting pressure across its range.