Idea #705 – Watching the spider monkeys of Guatemala
Geoffroy’s Atele or Spider Monkey with black hands, Latin name Ateles geoffroyi, is a primate from Central America and northern South America, living mainly in trees. This monkey has many varieties whose coloring goes from yellow to blackish, as in Guatemala. Their weights vary around 7 kg. Their prehensile tail can reach 50 cm long and we often see them use as a fifth hand, reminiscent of spiders with their eight legs – which gives them their nickname. Spider monkeys live in communities, ranging from 20 to 40 individuals, sometimes splitting into subgroups to search for food during the day. Their habitat ranges from plains to an altitude of 2,700 meters. They are mainly vegetarians, eating mainly fruits, but also leaves, nuts, young shoots, flowers, more rarely, bark, root, honey and insects. After mating, the female gives birth to a single pup after about 225 days of gestation. For 45 days, the baby will hang under his mother’s belly, then settle on his mother’s back for 90 days. He will emancipate gradually, under the watch of his mother who will teach him to eat, and for about 1 year.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Parc de Tikal, Guatemala
