|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Name || Spider Monkey |
Scientific Name || Ateles geoffroyi and Ateles belzebuth |
Conservation Status || Endangered |
Habitat || Tropical rainforest of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil |
Unique Features ||
A typical spider monkey is described as a pot-bellied, spider limbed, worried faced creature with a mind of its own. They have very long legs and tails and are extremely agile.
Social Behaviour ||
Spider monkeys live in communities that can break into sub-groups of 3-4 individuals. Adults usually travel together. Spider monkeys live in trees (arboreal) up to 35 metres above the ground.
Diet ||
Mainly fruit, nuts, seeds or leaves but they will take insects or small animals if they are readily available.
Reproduction ||
Maturity is reached at around four years, with females coming into season every four weeks. Gestation is 7-8 months. Infants cling to their mothers' abdomen from birth and then travel on her back until independence.
Life Cycle ||
The average life span for a spider monkey is around 20-27 years.
Relatives ||
Spider monkeys are closely related to the other monkeys in the family cebidae, including capuchins and howler monkeys.
Interesting Facts :
- Spider monkeys have been known to shake a vine occupied by a predator to cause them to fall. They have also been seen reaking off dead branches weighing nearly 5kg and dropping them on the predator.
- They have a prehensile tail, which acts as a fifth limb, able to grasp objects or hold their entire body weight for long periods.
- Probably only gibbons exceed spider monkeys in agility in the trees.
- Acrobatic and swift, spider monkeys move through the trees, with one arm stride covering up to 40 feet (12 metres).
- Spider monkeys rarely descend to the ground, but are capable of bipedalism (walking on two feet) on the ground with tail held in a curve parallel to the back.
Breeding Programme ||
There is a regional breeding programme in place for Spider monkeys, although our spider monkeys are currently a non breeding group.
Environmental Conditions ||
So many spider monkeys have been shot for food that they are absent from much of their former range. They are vulnerable because they have low maturation and reproduction rates. Their habitat, mature rain forests, is being lost to farming at the rate of 35,000 acres a day. Any programme that helps preserve the rainforest in South America will help save them from extinction.
At Wellington Zoo ||
We have five female spider monkeys. They live on an island in the tropical river trail, which they share with the capuchins.
|
Return to top
| |
|
|
|
|
:: Spider Monkey
:: Black and White Ruffed Lemur
:: Brown Capuchin Monkey
:: Chimpanzee
:: Cotton-Top Tamarin
:: Hamadryas Baboon
:: Spider Monkey
:: White Cheeked Gibbon
|
|
