![]() Spider monkey feces also help fertilize the forest floor.įor another, they are very smart. The path through a spider monkey digestive tract can soften the outer layer of the fruit seeds, too - a process crucial for some tree species to germinate, according to the New England Primate Conservatory. What makes Spider Monkeys so special?įor one, these monkeys are ecosystem engineers.Īs primarily fruit eaters, these creatures distribute seeds throughout the forest. They tend to stick to forested areas, as they primarily get around through the trees. Geoffroy's spider monkey can also be found in Mexico. Spider monkey with baby in Arenal, Costa Rica MB Photography / Getty Images Where are Spider Monkeys from?ĭifferent species of spider monkey hail from different regions of Central and South America. “Spider monkeys can often be seen hanging upside down from branches from their tail and limbs, strongly resembling a spider,” Juliana Rossi de Camargo, the Latin American Conservation Officer at Rainforest Trust tells Inverse. Their four-fingered hands are adapted to swinging about, unencumbered by a thumb, and they use their tail as an additional limb as they travel. With their unusually long, skinny limbs, and powerful, prehensile tails, spider monkeys cruise smoothly through the forest canopy. White-cheeked spider monkey ( Ateles marginatus): Endangered.White-bellied spider monkey ( Ateles belzebuth): Endangered.Brown spider monkey ( Ateles hybridus): Critically endangered.Guiana spider monkey ( Ateles paniscus): Vulnerable.Geoffroy's spider monkey ( Ateles geoffroyi): Endangered.Brown-headed spider monkey ( Ateles fusciceps): Endangered.Black-faced black spider monkey ( Ateles chamek): Endangered.All spider monkey species are listed as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). They are social animals and congregate in groups and communicate through diverse vocalizations, hugging, tail holding, and, less charmingly, defecating, according to the New England Primate Conservatory website. There are seven species of spider monkey, most of which weigh in at about 20 pounds. Spider monkeys are small, fruit-eating, arboreal monkeys in the genus Ateles. But as their forest habitats are liquidated, they face extinction. The primates are considered the third most intelligent non-human primate after orangutans and chimpanzees. These behaviors are perhaps a mark of their incredible intelligence. But these monkeys also engage in complex (and adorable) social behaviors, including wrapping their tails around each other, and hugging after time apart. Spider monkeys, denizens of the forest canopy, are famous for their graceful, long limbs.
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