The proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) is native to Borneo Island, but due to habitat encroachment, its numbers have dwindled to less than 1,000 in the wild. It would be a pity to lose such odd creatures, because these primates have one of the biggest noses in the animal kingdom.
Nobody knows for sure why the proboscis monkey has such a big schnoz; some scientists postulate that the forested environment selected for male monkeys who could use their noses to communicate louder through the rainforest canopy.
Others believe that big noses are favored by female proboscis monkeys; there's really no accounting for taste! (Read more: Nosey Oddities: the Proboscis Monkeys of Labuk Bay)
The state of Sabah in Malaysia is one of the last remaining strongholds for proboscis monkeys, and visitors can see them in the wild through the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.
Nobody knows for sure why the proboscis monkey has such a big schnoz; some scientists postulate that the forested environment selected for male monkeys who could use their noses to communicate louder through the rainforest canopy.
Others believe that big noses are favored by female proboscis monkeys; there's really no accounting for taste! (Read more: Nosey Oddities: the Proboscis Monkeys of Labuk Bay)
The state of Sabah in Malaysia is one of the last remaining strongholds for proboscis monkeys, and visitors can see them in the wild through the Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary.
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