Spider Monkey
Ateles geoffroyi
Distribution:
South America
Habitat:
Rainforests.
Diet:
Fruit, veges, leaves, vegetation, nuts, seeds, insects, eggs, birds and arachnids.
Gestation:
210-225 days, one young born
Longevity:
20 - 25 years in the wild, 30 - 40 years in captivity.
Predators:
Larger monkeys, large cats, humans
Conservation Status:
Endangered
General:
Spider monkeys are primitive monkeys, their bodies and limbs are slender and they have long narrow hands. Their muscular, tactile prehensile tail is used as an extra hand and are hairless underneath, the tip like the palm of a hand and each tail print is unique – just like fingerprints!
They "bark" when they are threatened, and when they are approached by humans will throw branches, shake tree limbs and jump up and down.
Spider monkeys are social animals, forming troops made up of 30 - 100 individuals. Usually large troops divide into smaller subgroups for foraging.
Fun fact: Different troops of these monkeys hug each other when they meet, to convey greetings and to deflect confrontations and potential aggression.
At Hamilton Zoo:
There are ten spider monkeys at Hamilton Zoo, nine females and one male. You can find them between the rhino hill and the top of the savannah.
You will often see them sunning themselves or grooming each other by the pond.
Males:
Salsa - 24/3/94
Females:
Izarra - 14/01/06
Bodie - 9/9/01
Borneo - 28/12/02
Beulah - 29/12/85
Becky - 4/09/87
Jessie - 20/06/96
Jeneill - 17/10/84
Besede - 20/5/04
Belize - 17/9/20