Azuero spider monkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ateles geoffroyi azuerensis |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Haplorhini |
| Infraorder: | Simiiformes |
| Family: | Atelidae |
| Genus: | Ateles |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
A. g. azuerensis
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| Trinomial name | |
| Ateles geoffroyi azuerensis Bole, 1937
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The Azuero spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi azuerensis) is a special type of spider monkey. It is in critical danger of extinction. This means there are very few left in the wild. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species says it is one of the most endangered animals.
People sometimes call this monkey mono charro, mono charao, or mono araña. The Azuero spider monkey lives only in one small area. This area is called the Azuero Peninsula in Panama. There are two other types of spider monkeys in Panama. One lives from Costa Rica to Darién. The other lives in Panamá and Colón provinces.
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What Do Azuero Spider Monkeys Eat?
Spider monkeys are mostly frugivores. This means they love to eat fruit. About 55% to 90% of their mealtime is spent eating fruit.
They also eat other parts of plants. This includes leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots. They are very good at finding ripe fruit. They need many different kinds of plants because fruits grow at different times of the year.
These monkeys help plants grow in new places. They can swallow fruits with large seeds. These seeds are then spread when the monkeys move around. Other animals might not be able to spread these seeds.
Where Do Azuero Spider Monkeys Live?
Many things affect where spider monkeys live. They need places with lots of fruit. They also need places with water and safe spots to sleep. Extreme weather can also change where they go.
Other types of spider monkeys need large areas of continuous forest. These areas can be from 95 to 390 hectares big. We are still learning if the Azuero spider monkey needs the same amount of space.
Why Are Azuero Spider Monkeys in Danger?
The Azuero spider monkey lives in tropical dry forests. Sadly, most of these forests on the Azuero peninsula are gone. The forests that are left are very small and broken up. This makes it hard for the monkeys to find enough space.
This loss of forest is called deforestation. It is a big problem for the monkeys. Another major threat is hunting. People sometimes hunt these monkeys. Both deforestation and hunting make it very hard for the Azuero spider monkey to survive.
Learning More About Azuero Spider Monkeys
Scientists are working to learn more about these monkeys. The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund helps pay for this research. They want to know what the Azuero spider monkey eats. They also want to understand what kind of forest paths, or "corridors," the monkeys need.
Studying spider monkeys is important. They are like key indicators of how healthy a forest is. If the monkeys are doing well, it often means the forest is healthy too.
