Fun Uakari Facts For Kids

These New World monkeys of the Cacajao genus are known as Uakari, pronounced "wa-ka-ri". They are a small species of monkeys found in the tropical rain forests of Southern America, where they are mostly spotted in jungles close to water or moist regions. Uakari monkeys are by and large found in wildernesses that border water sources like streams, little waterways, and lakes.

Both the scientific name, Cacajao, and the commonly used name, uakari, are believed to have started from native Amazonian dialects. This species of monkeys are notable for their exposed face, which most generally is red to pink in color. There are many diverse subspecies among the uakaris, including the black-headed uakari, the red bald uakari, the Neblina uakari, and the Ayres black uakari. Different uakaris are found in different areas of the world. For example, the golden uakari is found on the Brazilian and Peruvian border, and the red uakari on the Brazilian and Columbian border. On the other hand, the white uakari is usually spotted towards the north-western side of Brazil, with the pale-backed red uakari habituating the land east to this.

One interesting thing about uakari is that they have a very short tail for their body size. Did you already know that? To find out more interesting facts about uakari monkeys and their habitat, characteristics, and appearance then keep reading this article, enjoy!

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What type of animal is a uakari?

It is a non-aggressive small species of monkey. It is also very cautious in nature.

What class of animal does a uakari belong to?

The uakari belongs to the animal kingdom of the Mammalia class. Its scientific name is Cacajao.

How many uakaris are there in the world?

The estimated population size for uakaris is unknown at the moment.

Where does a uakari live?

Uakari are mainly found in the Amazon River Basin, throughout Peru and Brazil, and in parts of southern Columbia.

What is a uakari's habitat?

The uakari's most favored habitat is soggy, tropical jungles in the Amazon River Basin. These monkeys, for the most part, are found in natural habitats like wildernesses that have nearby water sources like little waterways, streams, and lakes.

Who do uakaris live with?

The uakari monkeys, with bright red faces, live in gatherings and troops in their wilderness habitats, which normally consist of between 10 and 30 individuals. However, these troops can sometimes include up to 100 uakari monkeys too! More often than not, they stay together in trees, yet when they need to search for food, they split up into smaller groups to scrounge.

How long does a uakari live?

A uakari monkey will normally live for between 15 and 22 years in its wild habitat. When in captivity, they are known to live to their mid-30s.

How do they reproduce?

These monkeys, in general, breed between October and May. The bright red faces of the males are an important part of the breeding process, as scientists believe that they are used to attract females to mate. Females can bear a child every two years (sexual maturity comes at the age of three in the case of females and six in the case of males) and only have one child at a time. Baby uakari monkeys, born every two years, are exceptionally small and defenseless. They stick close to their mom for the initial few months and survive just on her milk. They are normally weaned at four months old and at this age they start to search with the troop for food.

What is their conservation status?

Although the different uakaris are all classified by the IUCN Red List differently, they are considered to be animals that are Vulnerable in their environment. Hunting by humans and habitat loss due to waterlogging are thought to be the two main reasons for the declining numbers of uakaris.

What do uakaris look like?

Uakari monkeys are small-sized primates growing to an average of 17.7 in (45 cm) in length. The tail of the uakari is extremely short compared to its body size, and especially if we contrast it with those of other South American monkey species. The fur that covers the uakari's body is long and coarse and will generally vary in color, from red to brown, to dark, to white, depending on the species and area they are found in. The bright red face of some male uakari is their most unique attribute!

How cute are they?

These little monkeys certainly look cute with their bald head, red face, little tail, and friendly nature. Three characteristics of uakari monkeys are that they are friendly, cute and nimble. Have you ever been lucky enough to see one in real life?

How do they communicate?

There are various ways for the different types of uakaris to communicate. For example, the bald uakari makes a shriek to make other troop members aware of hunters. Their bare face makes it easy for other monkeys to read their facial expressions, and they also sway their short tail to communicate their emotions.

How big is a uakari?

It generally is 13.7-19.6 in (35-50 cm) long and has a height of 15.7-17.7 in (40-45 cm), a length that is similar to that of a bandicoot rat!

How fast can a uakari move?

Unlike most primates, uakaris move nimbly in the trees by using their arms and legs, but the exact speed at which they can move is not currently known.

How much does a uakari weigh?

Typically it weighs between 6.5-7.75 lb (3-3.5 kg) both for females and males.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There are no particular names given for males or females. All uakari monkeys are simply known as uakari monkeys!

What would you call a baby uakari?

A baby uakari is simply called an infant monkey.

What do they eat?

Similarly to other primates, their principal diet comprises both plant parts and small insects. They mainly eat products from the surrounding trees, as well as leaves and creepy crawlies that enhance their diet. A fundamental part of their diet involves spreading seeds through the backwoods of their habitats.

Are they loud?

They occasionally make a loud shriek to alert other troop members to predators. However, most of the time they are not very loud and they also use lots of silent gestures just like other monkeys.

Would they make a good pet?

Since uakaris are non-aggressive, and their diet consists of fruits, you might think that they would make a good pet. However, it has been observed that uakaris do not thrive in captivity, so these animals are best left in their natural habitats.

Did you know...

Uakaris can jump between branches of trees using their hind legs. Uakari can bounce up to 65 ft (20 m), starting with one tree then onto the next. Although they don't have a very long tail to clutch onto branches with, the strong arms and legs of the uakari enable them to jump these long distances.

The radiant, bright red faces of the uakari are by a long shot the most unmistakable element of their appearance. However, the specific reason for these bright red faces isn't actually known. Speculations range from attracting a mate to making it easier to spot each other in the woods,

Are uakaris endangered?

According to the IUCN Red List, they are classed as Vulnerable rather than Endangered. Their main animal threats are birds of prey or other big tree-dwelling animals such as larger monkeys or snakes. However, humans (as a result of hunting and causing forest loss) are the biggest threat to these monkeys. The specific count of the population is unknown at the moment.

Features and names of the uakari

There are four distinct species of uakari, which are the bald uakari (Cacajao calvus), the black-headed uakari, the Neblina uakari, and the Ayres black uakari, all of which are very similar in appearance but differ in the color of their fur and their geographical locations. The bald uakari, for example, is found in Brazil and eats a fruit-heavy diet.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our bald uakari coloring pages.