Francesca Capozzi The woolly monkey is one of the largest primates of the New World, and is in danger of extinction in its ecosystem: the Amazon basin. This species is also threatened by hunting pressure and wildlife trafficking
The woolly monkeys represent one of the largest New World primates; their scientific name is Lagothrix lagotricha. Their prehensile tails allow them to transit without effort from tree to tree, turning them into a symbol of the Amazon, whose survival is at risk.
Locals know the woolly monkeys as mono choyo or mono barrigudo, a species that has lately gone viral after a video by photographer Joel Sartore. The video, although shot several years ago, included a young woolly monkey promoting conservation for this amazing species.
Woolly monkeys are found in the Amazon Basin, largely in Colombia, but also in parts of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Brazil, and even the Andean foothills. Their thick, shaggy fur varies in color from dark brown to gray, and in the wild, they often appear with an assortment of colors.
Physical characteristics and habitat
The woolly monkeys are well-built, with round heads and small ears, which in most cases get hidden. Males and females can weigh up to 10 kilograms, and their muscular legs and arms provide powerful movement through the forest.
Their long, prehensile tail, curled into a twist at the tip, acts like a fifth limb in support while eating, playing, and traveling through the canopy. Being arboreal, they rarely go down to the ground.
These are considered omnivores, but their basic diet consists of fruits, seeds, and leaves. They are found in groups ranging from 10 to 70 individuals in forested areas, even at as high as 3,280 feet above sea level. Woolly monkeys are known to be caring for each other and to communicate through various calls and body expressions.
Social behaviour and communication
These calls, often high and shriek-like, alert their group to threats or warn rivals of their territory. For a number of threats that place them in a vulnerable position, the woolly monkeys are a vulnerable species.
Threats to survival
The main causes of their decline include habitat loss, hunting by local indigenous populations, and wildlife trafficking. Outside of displacement due to habitat destruction, they are hunted for their meat and fur. The local populations eat woolly monkey meat, and they are also captured for sale as pets. Such trade is extremely detrimental, as capturing young monkeys often requires killing their mothers, further reducing their already low reproductive rates.
Conservation and the road to recovery
Today, woolly monkeys can be found in protected areas that are relatively free of conservation regulation right up to highly controlled, such as Ecuador’s Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve or Colombia’s Serrania de Chiribiquete National Natural Park – the country’s largest protected area. Their placing on Appendix II of CITES restricts their trade, but scientists estimate that over the next few decades the species will continue to decline due to threats that persist.
Source IUCN – University of Michigan Animal Diversity
