Interesting Facts About Spider Monkeys

Some of the most Interesting Facts About Spider Monkeys is that Spider monkeys are New World monkeys found in the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Central and South America. Their name is the result of their spiderlike appearance when they hang by their extra long prehensile tails from the bow of a tree.

Spider monkeys come in seven species and seven subspecies, and all are in danger of going extinct because of habitat degradation and hunting. Herbivorous Or frugivorous in nature, spider monkeys are known for their sociable nature and propensity to live in big groups. Find out the most amazing facts about spider monkeys, like their lack of opposable thumbs and their capacity for long swings.

1. Spider Monkeys Have Strong Tails

interesting facts about spider monkeys - spider monkey hanging by its tail and eating fruit — **Clayton Andersen / Getty Images**

The spider monkey’s long, prehensile tail is one of its most distinctive features. The spider monkey’s tail is frequently referred to as an extra limb because it is robust and well-developed for living in the trees. The monkey’s tail is made for grasping; it has no hair on the underside so that it may more readily grab onto branches while picking fruit with its hands.

The tails of spider monkeys are longer than their bodies — some are as long as 35 inches.1

2. They Don’t Have Thumbs

Spider monkeys differ from other primates in that they do not have opposable thumbs on their hands. Only the little nub from their forefathers’ thumbs, who did have thumbs, is still present on their hands. The spider monkey’s hand has long, slender fingers and a hook-like shape without the extra digit, giving it a better grasp to swing from branch to branch in its arboreal home.

3. The Females Take the Lead

Spider monkey groups are matriarchal, which means the women are in charge. In the instance of white-bellied spider monkeys, females actively choose their mates, which results in less aggressive behaviour in males. The leader of the group, who directs it to feeding locations and decides on the group’s final size, is typically the alpha female of the troop.

When they reach puberty, female spider monkeys are likewise more likely to abandon the nest and join a new tribe.

4. They Are Swinging Specialists

Spider monkeys are experts at swinging from limb to limb rather than leaping from tree to tree and can cover significant distances in a single swing. Spider monkeys have muscular arms that can move them up to 30 feet in one swift motion. The amazing manoeuvres of spider monkeys are made possible by their hook-like hands, strong tail, and agile shoulder joints.

These dexterous acrobats are able to stand up mid-swing or hang from their tail while eating with both hands.

5. Spider Monkeys Are at Risk

There are seven different species of spider monkeys, and they are all in danger of going extinct. Ateles hybridus, sometimes known as the brown or variegated spider monkey, is in grave danger. Their main concerns come from illegal hunting as well as the destruction and fragmentation of their forest habitat in Columbia and Venezuela. It is predicted that during the next 45 years, the population of brown spider monkeys may decline by as much as 80% since a large portion of their habitat is exploited for cultivation.

Five additional species: Geoffroy’s spider monkey, brown-headed spider monkey, white-cheeked spider monkey, white-bellied spider monkey, and the black-faced black spider monkey are all endangered, while the Guiana spider monkey is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Throughout their range, the spider monkey population is in decline primarily due to loss of suitable habitat and hunting.4

6. They Are Social Animals

interesting facts about spider monkeys - troop of spider monkeys in Costa Rica — **MB Photography / Getty Images**

Being highly sociable animals, spider monkeys. They are nocturnal, spending the most of the day active. Some species, such as the Geoffroy’s spider monkey, can gather in groups of up to 100 people5, whilst other species, such as the brown spider monkey, can occasionally only live in groups of two or three. 6 Multiple males and multiple females are common in spider monkey communities.

Fission-fusion is the term used to describe the social dynamics of spider monkeys. When food is abundant, the group size and composition are greater and more stable, while foraging is typically done within smaller subgroups when food is scarce.

7. Spider Monkeys Reproduce Infrequently

The sluggish reproduction rate of spider monkeys makes it difficult to protect the species. Every two to four years, female spider monkeys give birth to one baby after a gestation period of around seven months. 8 The mother provides the infant with a high amount of parental care while simultaneously teaching her young child social behaviours and foraging skills.

Even when they visit other groups, females keep their young children with them. Between the ages of 12 and 20 months, baby spider monkeys are weaned.

8. They Add Nutrients to the Forest

Spider monkeys poop underneath where they sleep to provide good nesting places. Researchers have discovered a strong link between spider monkeys’ sleeping habits and the amount of food available on the forest floor. 10

The regions with a lot of food are where the monkeys are drawn, but they also increase the food supply there. The faeces that spider monkeys leave behind when they congregate in big numbers are full of seeds and nutrients that can help more trees develop. This pattern not only increases the availability of food for the spider monkeys but also benefits the entire tropical ecology.

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Here Are The 8 Most Interesting Facts About Spider Monkeys You Don’t Know