Black-faced Black Spider Monkey
    Image: Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Black-faced Black Spider Monkey

    Ateles chamek

    Primates
    Endangered

    Best Months to Spot

    JFMAMJJASOND

    Most sightings recorded in Nov. Data from GBIF - a global database of verified wildlife observations by researchers and citizen scientists.

    Conservation Status

    Conservation hub
    EN - EndangeredDecreasing population

    Faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

    The black-faced black spider monkey is primarily threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation for agriculture and logging, as well as hunting. While specific large-scale recovery programs are limited, conservation efforts focus on protecting existing habitats and combating illegal wildlife trade. Responsible safari tourism helps by providing economic incentives for local communities to protect the monkeys' habitat and by raising awareness about the importance of conservation.

    The Peruvian spider monkey, also known as the black-faced black spider monkey, is a species of spider monkey that lives in Peru, as well as in Brazil and in Bolivia. At 60 centimetres long, they are relatively large among species of monkey, and their strong, prehensile tails can be up to 1 m (3 ft) long. Unlike many species of monkey, they have only a vestigial thumb, an adaptation which enables them to travel using brachiation. Peruvian spider monkeys live in groups of 20–30 individuals, but these groups are rarely all together simultaneously. The size and dynamics of the resulting subgroups vary with food availability and sociobehavioral activity. They prefer to eat fleshy fruit, but will change their diet in response to scarcity of ripe fruit. Individuals of this species also eat small animals, insects and leaves based on availability. Females separate from the band to give birth, typically in the fall. These females inhabit a group of core areas where resources are abundant in certain seasons. Typically, males exhibit ranging over longer distances than females, with movement of individuals enhancing the fluidity of subgroup size. Peruvian spider monkey are independent at about 10 months, with a lifespan of about 20 years.

    Description adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Best Safari Destinations

    Loading safari destinations...

    Ready to see Black-faced Black Spider Monkey in the wild?

    Use our tools to find the right park and plan your trip.