brown-headed spider monkey

The brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps) is a large, agile primate found in forests from southern Mexico to Brazil. These monkeys are characterized by their long limbs, potbellied appearance, and a long, prehensile tail used as a fifth limb for locomotion and manipulation. Their coat color varies from gray to black, and most have a black face with white eye rings.1

Spider monkeys live in social groups but forage individually or in smaller units, primarily in the upper canopy of trees. Their diet consists mainly of fruit, supplemented by nuts, seeds, flowers, leaves, spiders, and bird eggs. They are known for their wariness of humans and can use branches to deter intruders.1

All true spider monkey species are considered threatened, with the brown-headed spider monkey listed as critically endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.1