Yellow-tailed woolly monkey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yellow-tailed woolly monkey |
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| Conservation status | |
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Lagothrix
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| Species: |
flavicauda
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The yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) is a special type of New World monkey. It lives only in Peru, making it an endemic species. This rare primate is found high in the Peruvian Andes mountains. You can find it in areas like Amazonas and San Martin. It also lives in parts of La Libertad, Huánuco, and Loreto.
Contents
What is a Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey?
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is one of the rarest monkeys in the Americas. It is also one of the largest mammals that lives only in Peru. These monkeys are quite big. Their body and head can be about 51 to 53 centimeters long. Their tails are even longer, reaching up to 63 centimeters!
Most adult monkeys weigh around 8 kilograms. But some males can weigh as much as 11.5 kilograms. They are similar in size to other woolly monkeys.
Appearance
These monkeys have long, thick fur. This helps them stay warm in their cold mountain home. Their fur is a deep reddish-brown color. They have a whitish patch on their face, from their chin up to between their eyes. Their fur gets darker on their upper body, making their head look almost black.
The most special part is their tail. It is very strong and can grab things. The last part of their tail has yellowish fur. This is how they got their name! Baby monkeys do not have this yellow tail color yet. Their powerful tail can hold their whole body weight. They use it to hang from branches or move through the trees. They can even leap up to 15 meters (about 49 feet) through the forest!
Social Life and Reproduction
Yellow-tailed woolly monkeys live in large groups. These groups can have around 23 monkeys, including both males and females. They do not have many babies often. This means their population grows very slowly. This slow reproduction makes them more likely to become extinct. When they first meet new monkeys, they can act a bit aggressive.
Where Do They Live?
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey lives in the cloud forests of the Peruvian Andes. These forests are high up, between 1,500 and 2,700 meters (about 4,900 to 8,900 feet) above sea level. Their home is very rugged, with steep mountains and deep river valleys. The trees in these forests can be 20 to 25 meters tall. Cloud forests often have clouds right in or around them.
Sadly, their habitat is shrinking because of deforestation. This means their population is also split into smaller groups. This makes it harder for them to find mates and reproduce. Scientists believe there are fewer than 250 of these monkeys left.
What Do They Eat?
These monkeys mostly eat fruit. But they also eat leaves, flowers, and insects. They are active during the day and live in trees. They have different calls they use to talk to each other. One call is a loud, "puppy-like" bark. They use this to warn others or mark their territory.
Yellow-tailed woolly monkeys also eat soil. This might seem strange, but it helps them! Eating soil gives them important minerals they don't get enough of from their food. It also helps them get rid of some tiny worms in their stomachs.
Discovery and Rediscovery
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey was first described in 1812 by Alexander von Humboldt. He saw a monkey skin that a local man was using as a saddle. Humboldt had never seen a live one. For over 100 years, people rarely saw this monkey. Many thought it had become extinct.
But in 1926, three monkeys were found in San Martin. They were brought to a museum. At first, people thought they were a new species. But later, they realized these were the yellow-tailed woolly monkeys!
Then, in 1974, a group of scientists led by Russell Mittermeier made an exciting discovery. They found a young yellow-tailed woolly monkey kept as a pet in a city in Amazonas. This rediscovery got a lot of attention. People realized how important it was to protect this species.
In 2004, scientists looked for these monkeys in a remote, humid mountain forest in San Martin. This forest was being cut down. This shows how much their home is threatened.
Why Are They Endangered?
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is in critical danger. Its habitat is being destroyed by people cutting down trees. Farmers are also clearing land for coffee and cattle. This means the monkeys have less space to live.
The building of new roads has also brought more people to these areas. More people means more demand for farmland. Farmers sometimes use "slash-and-burn" methods. This means they cut down and burn forests to clear land. This destroys the monkeys' homes.
Hunting for food also threatens them. Plus, these monkeys have naturally small populations. They also have babies slowly. All these things together have caused their numbers to drop by at least 80% in recent years.
How Are People Helping?
Conservation work started soon after the monkey was rediscovered in the 1970s. A Peruvian group called APECO helped create three protected areas. These include Rio Abiseo National Park, Alto Mayo Protected Forest, and Cordillera de Colán National Sanctuary.
More recently, a British group called Neotropical Primate Conservation has been working to protect them. Local communities in Peru are also helping. Some projects prevent more people from moving into the monkeys' areas. Others are starting eco-tourism. This helps local people see that the monkeys can bring visitors and money. This makes them want to protect the monkeys and their homes even more.
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is considered one of "The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates".
Images for kids
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A yellow-tailed woolly monkey in its natural habitat.
See also
In Spanish: Choro de cola amarilla para niños
