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Cheeky squirrel monkey
Where do I Live? In the tropical forests of Central and South America. This monkey prefers the middle canopy in rainforests they like vegetation which provides good cover from birds of prey. Squirrel monkeys are diurnal (active during the day). They are arboreal (tree living) foraging in the medium and lower levels of the forest and sleeping close to the canopy.
How do I move? This monkey travels through the forest quadrupedally (on all fours) on the branches, and moves through the trees by leaping. They have thighs that are shorter relative to their lower legs giving them more jumping force. The Squirrel Monkey has extremely dextrous fingers helping it clamber through the trees as well as to investigate food and find hidden insects.
What do I eat? Omnivore eating fruits, nectar, seeds, leaves , eggs, tree frogs and insects depending upon what is available. Squirrel Monkeys rarely go after moving insects preferring to capture stationary insects on plants. They hunt for insects on the surface of leaves or by unfolding leaf curls of dead foliage and prefer caterpillars and grasshoppers.
What dangers do I face in the wild? The Squirrel Monkey is among many rainforest animals threatened by deforestation. The species has also been captured extensively for the pet trade and for medical research.
How do I communicate? Squirrel Monkeys have a wide range of calls and body postures including: chirps and peeps to stay in touch as they forage, squawks and purring during mating, barking in anger to protect themselves from large falcons which are a natural threat to them. Squirrel monkeys rub their tail, hands, feet and their skin with their own urine to mark their territory or to warn off predators such as snakes or cats. They also distribute a musky glandular secretion throughout their fur (especially on tail) as scent to mark territory or to leave a trail for others of the troop to follow as they go through the trees.
Description: Males weigh between 700-1100g, and measure between 26-36cm females are smaller. These monkeys are white around the eyes, ears, throat, and on sides of neck. The top of the head is black to greyish, The fur is short, thick, soft, and brightly coloured. The skin on lips and around nostrils is black with almost no hair.
Social: Females are the dominant members of the group reaching sexual maturity at 3 years old (5 for males). After 150-170 day gestation a single offspring is born which other females help to raise. Infants are able to climb from birth. Squirrel Monkeys live together in multi male/multi female groups with up to 500 members these groups are subdivided into adult male bands, mother-infant bands, and juvenile bands. Adult females with their young form the core of the group. It is common to see these Squirrel Monkeys in mixed groups, moving along with other primate species and birds.
Teeth: The cheek teeth have large cusps which helps the monkey when eating insects. Males have longer canines (teeth) than the female.
The tail of the common squirrel monkey measures between 35-42 cm and is prehensile in infants but they loose this as they grow into adults. These guys use their tails as a kind of “balancing pole”.
BRAINY! This is the monkey with the largest brain in relation to its body size, weighing 1/9th of its total weight, compare that to your brain which weighs 1/16th of your total weight. That might have been the reason why a Saimiri was the first primate in outer space in 1959 before man ever travelled outward!
Cheeky squirrel monkey
Where do I Live? In the tropical forests of Central and South America. This monkey prefers the middle canopy in rainforests they like vegetation which provides good cover from birds of prey. Squirrel monkeys are diurnal (active during the day). They are arboreal (tree living) foraging in the medium and lower levels of the forest and sleeping close to the canopy.
How do I move? This monkey travels through the forest quadrupedally (on all fours) on the branches, and moves through the trees by leaping. They have thighs that are shorter relative to their lower legs giving them more jumping force. The Squirrel Monkey has extremely dextrous fingers helping it clamber through the trees as well as to investigate food and find hidden insects.
What do I eat? Omnivore eating fruits, nectar, seeds, leaves , eggs, tree frogs and insects depending upon what is available. Squirrel Monkeys rarely go after moving insects preferring to capture stationary insects on plants. They hunt for insects on the surface of leaves or by unfolding leaf curls of dead foliage and prefer caterpillars and grasshoppers.
What dangers do I face in the wild? The Squirrel Monkey is among many rainforest animals threatened by deforestation. The species has also been captured extensively for the pet trade and for medical research.
How do I communicate? Squirrel Monkeys have a wide range of calls and body postures including: chirps and peeps to stay in touch as they forage, squawks and purring during mating, barking in anger to protect themselves from large falcons which are a natural threat to them. Squirrel monkeys rub their tail, hands, feet and their skin with their own urine to mark their territory or to warn off predators such as snakes or cats. They also distribute a musky glandular secretion throughout their fur (especially on tail) as scent to mark territory or to leave a trail for others of the troop to follow as they go through the trees.
Description: Males weigh between 700-1100g, and measure between 26-36cm females are smaller. These monkeys are white around the eyes, ears, throat, and on sides of neck. The top of the head is black to greyish, The fur is short, thick, soft, and brightly coloured. The skin on lips and around nostrils is black with almost no hair.
Social: Females are the dominant members of the group reaching sexual maturity at 3 years old (5 for males). After 150-170 day gestation a single offspring is born which other females help to raise. Infants are able to climb from birth. Squirrel Monkeys live together in multi male/multi female groups with up to 500 members these groups are subdivided into adult male bands, mother-infant bands, and juvenile bands. Adult females with their young form the core of the group. It is common to see these Squirrel Monkeys in mixed groups, moving along with other primate species and birds.
Teeth: The cheek teeth have large cusps which helps the monkey when eating insects. Males have longer canines (teeth) than the female.
The tail of the common squirrel monkey measures between 35-42 cm and is prehensile in infants but they loose this as they grow into adults. These guys use their tails as a kind of “balancing pole”.
BRAINY! This is the monkey with the largest brain in relation to its body size, weighing 1/9th of its total weight, compare that to your brain which weighs 1/16th of your total weight. That might have been the reason why a Saimiri was the first primate in outer space in 1959 before man ever travelled outward!