Colombian spider monkey
The spider monkey gets its name because its shadowy silhouette resembles a spider when it hangs in the treetops. The spider monkey can hang by its legs, arms and tail, making it look like it has five limbs.
The prehensile tail is not only used to hold on when the spider monkey climbs and swings in the trees, but can also be used to pick up objects - even a small pea. It also carries food with its tail.
The hands consist of four long fingers and a short thumb, making the hands great for swinging and climbing.
There is a visible difference between the sexes. The male does not have visible external genitalia. In contrast, the female has an enlarged clitoris protruding from her abdomen that can easily be mistaken for a penis.
Spider monkeys do not reproduce every year as there is a long brood care period. The mother doesn't have a new baby until the older one can fend for itself.
Spider monkeys are hunted for their meat. It is noisy and therefore easy to find and shoot with blowpipes or arrows. Therefore, the spider monkey is in danger of extinction. In addition, the spider monkey is threatened because its habitat - the rainforests - are being cut down. Spider monkeys live high up in the trees and therefore have difficulty adapting to new forests with smaller trees.
They are social animals that live in flocks of 10-35 individuals in the treetops.
- Distribution: South America - Colombia, Ecuador and Panama
- Population: Endangered due to hunting and habitat destruction
- Weight: 10-12kg
- Body length: 37-59 centimetres. Tail is 60-81 centimetres
- Sexual maturity: 4-5 years
- Gestation: 210-225 days
- Number of cubs: 1
- Food: Fruits, leaves, seeds, buds, sprouts, insects and eggs
- Lifespan: Approximately 20 years in the wild. The oldest spider monkey in captivity was 33 years old
- Latin name: Ateles fusciceps rufiventris