To listen to this article, please select Control + Shift + Z to launch the pop-up player.

A-Z Animals - Animal Facts, Images and Resources

Animals >>

Spider Monkey

Add to Phobia Filter

Contribute

Listen

The spider monkey is found in the tropical jungles of South America, from Southern Mexico to Brazil. The spider monkey generally dos not enter the further southern regions of South America as the terrain becomes mountainous and not to the spider monkey's taste.

There are four different types of spider monkey, all of which are fairly large in size and get to around 50cm tall, plus the spider monkey's tail which can often grow longer than the spider monkey's body.

The spider monkey is thought to get it's name from the way the spider monkeys can be seen hanging in the trees. The spider monkey can often be seen with all four hands on separate branches, so the spider monkey looks like a spider's web. The spider monkey can also hang from branches by it's strong tail, which gives the spider monkey spider-like attributes.

The spider monkey mainly eats fruits and berries and spider monkeys are a thought to play a vital part in spreading the seeds of many plants throughout the South American rainforests. The spider monkey also eats insects and small reptiles for protein and also honey which the spider monkey finds it.

Due to the extensive hunting of the spider monkey from both humans and bigger jungle animals such as the jaguar and the crocodile, all four species of spider monkey are now considered to be endangered or critically endangered.

The spider monkey is often kept as an exotic pet worldwide and is one of the most popular species of pet monkey due to the spider monkey's looks and the spider monkey's character. Please don't keep spider monkeys as pets. Spider monkeys belong in the jungles were they come from and are on the verge of extinction, this process should not be helped.

Spider monkeys form groups of between 10 and 30 individuals which splits up during the day so that there is less competition for food. Unlike many other primates, it is the female spider monkeys that leave their original group to join new groups, rather than the male spider monkeys. Male spider monkeys are known to stay together throughout their lives.

Female spider monkeys breed every three to four years and when she is ready to, the female spider monkey chooses a male spider monkey from her group in which to mate with. After a gestation period of around 7 months, the female spider monkey will give birth to one baby spider monkey.

Baby spider monkeys completely rely on their mother until they are between 6 to 10 months old and are big enough and strong enough to make it on their own. Until then, the mother spider monkey carries her young on her tummy and then on her back in on order to keep them safe. Female spider monkeys are known to help their young when jumping in the trees and groom them too.

Spider Monkey Comments (12)

monkey

"monkey are awesomes"

Lucky

"I love spider monkey and this website gave the oportunity to learn more about them.........."

?

"It is very helpful because i am doing a report your website is cool and awesome thanks"

Showing 3 of 12 comments.

Show More Comments

Post Comment

Article Tools

	Print Article View printer friendly version of Spider Monkey article.
	Listen to Article Listen to audio version of Spider Monkey article. Hot key: + +

Spider Monkey Facts

Kingdom: A level of classifying all living things on earth, as similar species are broken into 5 groups including plants, animals and fungi....	Animalia
Phylum: A level of classifying animals within the animal kingdom. Phylum are further divided into subgroups called classes....	Chordata
Class: A level of classifying animals in a phylum. Classes are then sub-divided into further groups known as orders....	Mammalia
Order: A level used to classify animals. Classes are broken into sub-groups known as order, which are broken down further into families....	Primates
Family: A level of classifying animals within an order. Orders are broken down in families and families are broken down further into smaller groups called genus....	Atelidae
Genus: A level of classifying animals within a family. Families are divided into sub-groups called genus which generally contain one or two animal species....	Ateles

Scientific Name:	Simia Paniscus
Type:	Mammal
Diet:	Omnivore
Size:	40-50cm (15.7-20in)
Weight:	6.4-12kg (14-26lbs)
Top Speed:	56km/h (35mph)
Life Span:	15-27 years
Lifestyle:	Troop
Conservation Status: The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing the conservation s...	Least Concern

Colour:	Black, Grey, Brown, White
Skin Type:	Hair
Favourite Food:	Fruit
Habitat: The term habitat is used to describe a specific area where a particular animal lives, within an environment. Many animals have adapted to requiring specific conditions which can only be found in their natural habitat su...	Tropical jungle and rainforest
Average Litter Size:	1
Main Prey: When an animal is referred to prey, it means that the animal is either hunted or caught for food. Animals that are referred to as prey are generally hunted by bigger animals, although there are a number of exceptions....	Fruit, Nuts, Leaves
Predators: When an animal is referred to as a predator, it means that the animal either hunts or catches other animals. Predatory animals are generally dominant within their environment and will generally hunt animals smaller than...	Human, Eagles, Jaguar
Special Features:	Strong, long tail and agile hands and feet

Related Animals

	Golden Lion Tamarin Native to the eastern rainforests of Brazil!
	Howler Monkey Spends 80% of it's time resting!
	Monkey There are around 260 known species!
	Pygmy Marmoset The smallest species of monkey in the world!
	Squirrel Monkey Lives in groups of up to 500 individuals!
	White Faced Capuchin One of the world's most intelligent monkeys!
	Woolly Monkey Has a long, strong prehensile tail!