Spider Monkeys

Ateles geoffroyi vellerasus

Animal Class: Mammals

Length: 14 to 26 inches

Weight: 13.25 pounds

Lifespan: 22 years in the wild

Diet: Omnivore; fruit, nuts, and leaves

Habitat: Tropical jungle and rainforest

Description: Spider Monkeys have long, lanky arms and prehensile (grasping) tails that enable them to move gracefully from branch to branch and tree to tree. These nimble monkeys spend most of their time aloft, and maintain a powerful grip on branches even though they have no thumbs.

These New World primates are social and gather in groups of up to two- or three-dozen animals. At night, these groups split up into smaller sleeping parties of a half dozen or fewer. Foraging also occurs in smaller groups, and is usually most intense early in the day. Spider monkeys find food in the treetops and feast on nuts, fruits, leaves, bird eggs, and spiders. They can be noisy animals and often communicate with many calls, screeches, barks, and other sounds.

Our Animals: Yucatan, Yoli, and Lengua