Spider Monkey

Naughty and frisky by nature, spider monkeys belong to the family of Atelidae. These fall in the category of New World monkeys and are considered to be the most intelligent group amongst these species. Read on for some facts about the spider monkey.

Facts about the Spider Monkey:
The spider monkey is generally found in lowland areas of the rain forest especially from Mexico to South America. These species are also found along the coasts and the banks of the Amazon, the Matto Grosso in Brazil and areas that are south of the Bolivia region. The spider monkeys prefer to be in areas of the rainforests and the semi deciduous forests as well. It has been observed that the spider monkeys rarely come down to the ground level. They prefer to be in the upper portions of the trees.

The name, spider monkey has been given because of the long limbs of the spider monkey. They have very thin and long arms. The legs are on the shorter side for the spider monkey. The spider monkey uses its arms to walk but does not completely rely on the arms as other monkeys do. The spider monkey can walk on with the help of its two legs. Sometimes, it also uses its tail to maintain the balance. The tails of the spider monkey can measure to a length of 89 cms.

Spider monkeys are seen in vivid colors of ruddy gold to a brown or shades of black. Their hair is coarse and the face does not have too much hair. Spider monkeys have strong eyesight and their nostrils are set far apart from each other. The hands are shaped like a hook. This is probably due to the fact that spider monkeys have long and curved fingers but no thumb on their hands.

The spider monkey lives in a group that consists of about 30 individuals. Here, the males are extremely protective about the females, but it is the females that take the major decisions for the group. They break up into small groups during the day. This is very similar to the pattern that is followed by the chimpanzees as well.

If there is any outsider that enters the territory of the spider monkey, the monkeys scream, bark and even throw branches or shake them to showcase their displeasure. Such kind of behavior can last for a period of half an hour! Such as act is mainly carried out by the males wherein the females prefer to stand in the background and watch. Males use their saliva or secretion from their chest to mark their territory.

Spider monkeys use specific sounds and postures to communicate with each other. They use a variety of calls which are audible for miles. There are various reasons to do this; it is sometimes to help the entire group space out evenly so that unnecessary confrontations are avoided. Spider monkeys use these long calls to even alert members of their group. The shaking of the branches method is also used when they feel threatened and to scare off the intruder. Here, one can come across a variety of sounds such as barking or whooping, snarls or even sounds that resemble the whinnying of a horse.

Spider monkeys are known to mate the year round. It is the female that chooses the male. The mother is the one who solely cares for the baby. The females give birth to one baby at a time. Within 5 months, the baby can climb over on the mothers back for a joy ride!

The diet of the spider monkey consists of fruits and nuts. If they do not find enough fruits or nuts, the spider monkey has to include insects, honey and even the bark of a tree or rotting wood. If the female monkey does not find enough food for the group, the entire group has to split up to find more food.

On an average, the adult spider monkey has a length of 50 cms and a weight of around 6.4 kilograms. The survival of the spider monkeys depends upon the habitat. Here, with the loss of habitats, it is not a wonder that their numbers are affected as well. One would need to prevent their natural habitat to help the survival of the spider monkey. Let us hope that sense prevails so that these harmless creatures can lead a natural life with ease.