Somalia 50-SHILLINGS (KM111)

Somalia wraps around the horn of Africa, which is on the far east side. Mandrills live in Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Congo which are all countries in a cluster on the opposite side of the continent.

There is no doubt this is a Mandrill, and not one of the three baboon species found in Somalia. The give-aways are the lines on the face, and the short, upturned tail.

Mandrills are the largest of the old world monkeys, and were once thought to be baboons. However, around the turn of the century, they were re-classified under their own genus, Mandrillus. They are the most colourful primate, being the ones with the bright red and blue on the faces and butts.