Gray woolly monkey
| Gray woolly monkey | ||||||||||||
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Gray woolly monkey ( Lagothrix cana ) |
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| Lagothrix cana | ||||||||||||
| É. Geoffroy , 1812 |
The gray woolly monkey ( Lagothrix cana ) is a species of primate living in South America from the family of the spotted monkeys (Atelidae). It is one of the four species into which the woolly monkeys are divided in more recent classifications.
features
Like all woolly monkeys, gray woolly monkeys are rather stocky primates with strong limbs and a long tail. The head body length is around 50 centimeters, the tail is slightly longer than the body and is designed as a prehensile tail. The weight varies between 7 and 9 kilograms, with males becoming slightly heavier than females. The thick, woolly fur is predominantly gray in color, the head, hands and feet are black. The head is rounded, the ears are small.
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the gray woolly monkey includes western Brazil south of the Amazon , eastern Peru and northern Bolivia , making them the southernmost distribution area of all woolly monkeys. Their habitat is forests, they occur in lowland rainforests as well as in mountain forests up to 2500 meters above sea level.
Way of life
These primates are diurnal and mostly stay in the trees, mostly in the upper canopy. They are skilful but rather slow climbers who can move around on all fours as well as swinging. They use the pronging tail as the fifth limb. They live in large groups that take up vast areas of grazing (up to 1000 hectares). The territories of different groups overlap and generally react less aggressively to animals from outside the group.
Their diet consists mainly of fruits, they also eat leaves and other parts of plants, and occasionally small animals.
After a gestation period of around 225 days, the female usually gives birth to a single young. This is suckled for a year.
Danger
The main threat to the gray woolly monkey is hunting, on the one hand because of their meat, on the other hand because young are made into pets , which usually goes hand in hand with the death of the mother. In addition, also the destruction of their habitat by deforestation, mining industry, a hazard. The IUCN lists the type as "high risk" ( endangered ).
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
