Fun Spider Monkey Facts For Kids

A spider monkey is a type of monkey that is a member of the Atelidae family. They have seven different species, namely, Ateles Belzebuth, or white-bellied spider monkey, Ateles Chamek or Peruvian spider monkey or black-faced spider monkey, Ateles hybridus or brown spider monkey, Ateles marginatus or white-cheeked spider monkey, Ateles fusciceps or black-headed spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi or Central American spider monkey or Geoffrey's spider monkey, Ateles paniscus or red-faced spider monkey. There are several subspecies of each of them.

Spider monkeys live in the canopy of moist evergreen forests and in places where there is food availability. They are primarily seen in the canopies of rainforests in South and Central America. Geoffroy's spider monkey can be found in Mexico. A spider monkey is a primate population that has unique prehensile tails. Their troops comprise around 30 monkeys. At times, this may also go up to 100 spider monkeys, like in the case of Geoffroy's spider monkeys. Their population is declared Endangered by various wildlife conservation organizations due to several factors: habitat loss, deforestation, hunting, and the pet trade.

To know more about this fascinating mammal, read this gathered set of interesting facts about them for you to read. You can also read up more articles on woolly monkeys and patas monkeys.

What type of animal is a Spider monkey?

A spider monkey is a type of monkey that is a member of the Atelidae family.

What class of animal does a Spider monkey belong to?

Spider monkeys belong to the class of Mammalia.

How many Spider monkeys are there in the world?

Seven species of spider monkeys are most critically endangered. Although there is no exact number of how many spider monkeys are alive, it is estimated that there are approximately less than 3,000 spider monkeys alive in the world as there is a huge loss of habitat and forests lately.

Where does a Spider monkey live?

A spider monkey lives in tropical forests, mangroves, evergreen and deciduous forests, lowland rainforests, and mountain forests. They primarily inhabit the canopy rainforests in Central and South America, spread from southern parts of Mexico to Brazil.

What is a Spider monkey's habitat?

Spider monkeys prefer moist evergreen forests. Their species are scattered in lowland and mountain forests. All of the seven species of spider monkeys prefer rainforests, but there are slight variations in their habitat. Some species are found in the lowland rainforests, whereas some are distributed on the moist forests that are located at high altitudes or on the mountains. As mountain rainforests are located at a height, there are fewer chances of threats. Some also live with humans or in the suburbs. So the exact answer to where spider monkeys live should be moist habitats with the availability of trees and plenty of ripe fruits.

Who do Spider monkeys live with?

These primates, being social and friendly animals, tend to live in 15-30 monkey groups but the females live in female-only communities, called matriarchal groups since they are more active, or individually away from male groups (called troops) since the male primate's territorial nature makes him want to dominate over the females.

How long does a Spider monkey live?

Spider monkeys have a long life expectancy, living around 20-27 years in the wild and up to 40 years in captivity.

How do they reproduce?

Spider monkeys have a gestation period of around seven to eight months. They give birth to their young every two to three years. The females search for mates of the same breed from their groups. They check their mate's readiness to copulate by anogenital sniffing. The baby spider monkeys are dependant on their mothers for around five or six months from the time of their birth. They have been observed to have long limbs and a prehensile tail, so they ride by wrapping and clinging to their mother's backs once they are five months old. The mothers feed the offspring with milk until they are two years old. After ten weeks from birth, the young ones start playing and exploring by joining in various smaller groups of other baby spider monkeys. The males do not have any contribution or part in raising the offspring.

What is their conservation status?

Out of the seven species of spider monkeys, five species are listed as Endangered, one is listed as Vulnerable, and another is listed as Critically Endangered by the Internation Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, Red List.

What do Spider monkeys look like?

This species of monkeys have spindly physical characteristics, such as a prehensile tail, four legs, and very long limbs, that help them climb and jump great lengths from tree to tree easily. The prehensile tails act as a fifth leg and can grow around 35 in (88.9 cm) long. Out of all the species, the black-headed spider monkey is the largest.

How cute are they?

They are adorable and are cute to look at while they play and climb around trees. These animals are intelligent.

How do they communicate?

Spider monkeys communicate through various grunts and calls. They use tactile, acoustic, and physical channels of communication. For instance, they use tactile channels before mating as they touch and check the readiness of their mates to copulate. Furthermore, they use acoustic channels, such as grunts, whistles, and barks, to communicate. Spider monkey's groups communicate very loudly. They use physical movements such as playing and jumping before courtship to impress the females.

How big is a Spider monkey?

Spider monkeys are amongst the largest species of monkeys. Spider monkeys are 40-56 in (101.6-142.24 cm) (where 24-32 in (60.96-81.28 cm) is the tail) in length and 16-24 in (40.64-60.96 cm) tall. They are around half as big as a mandrill monkey.

How fast can a Spider monkey move?

Spider monkeys are agile and fast. They are known to move at a speed of around 35mph (56.3 kph). They are smart and strong and use these traits to their advantage while moving.

How much does a Spider monkey weigh?

Spider monkeys weigh around 14-26 lb (6.4-12 kg).

What are their male and female names of the species?

In terms of sex, there are no such different names for their male and female species. They are collectively known as spider monkeys.

What would you call a baby Spider monkey?

A juvenile spider monkey does not have any specific name, but they are referred to as infants, young ones, or juvenile spider monkeys.

What do they eat?

They are omnivores, and so they eat insects, eggs, nuts, and leaves. Their food mainly comprises ripe fruits.

Are they aggressive?

Yes, they are aggressive, territorial, and dominant. The males are seen to be more aggressive than the females.

Would they make a good pet?

No, they would not really make a good pet. These primates are very destructive, and they need a variety of fruits and trees as well.

Did you know...

Spider monkeys are diurnal, which means they forage and search for fruits and food during the day. They are often seen jumping and active early in the day.

They have got their name 'spider monkey' from their spindly appearance. They move like a spider with the help of their relatively long limbs.

Why are black spider monkeys endangered?

Black spider monkeys are endangered because of huge habitat loss and deforestation. Apart from that, they were extensively used in the pet trade and hunting. Their population was a major part of hunting as they are easily caught because of their loud noises and huge size.

What color is a spider monkey?

Spider monkeys have seven different species, and so they are of various colors such as brown, black, tan, and red.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals, including proboscis monkeys and capuchin monkeys.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our gibbon coloring pages.