More Interesting Facts About the Squirrel Monkey

Reproduction

Female squirrel monkeys are mature at age 2 1/2, while males are mature at age 4. During the wet season is when reproduction usually takes place because there is a surplus amount of fruits and plenty of greens. The mother is pregnant (or in gestation) for just about 142 days and the actual "birthing process" takes about 80-165 minutes. The male monkey does not have anything to do with raising the baby, so other mothers that are either pregnant or have already have babies, kind of like how it is now, help that mother. The baby will stay with his mother, start sucking, and then begin eating solids for the first few weeks after birth. After about 6 months the baby is ready to be apart from his mother and will then go on to live his life. As strange as it seems, squirrel monkeys only give birth to one monkey in their entire lifetime (6). This being said, monkeys need to reproduce a lot and quite frequently to have as many as we see in the wild today.

Lincoln Park Zoo

Established in 2000, the Lincoln Park Zoo is dedicated to helping our environment and to keep the protection of our animals and prepare for the future of our nature's world. Lincoln Park Zoo keeps in accordance with the Population Management Center (PMC), Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Species Survival Plan (SSP), and Population Management Plan (PMP). This zoo works with the genetic breedings and transferring of animals around the world to kind of give the animals a "kick start" (7).

Threats & What We Can Do to Help

Threats

The possible threats, mostly human-based, that are affecting the Squirrel Monkey are as follows:

~Habitat Loss b/c of deforestation

~Hunting

~Electrocution b/c of fatal power line accidents

~Persecution

~Pollution

~Natural Disasters

~Newly introduced predatory species (5)

What We Can Do to Help

There are many solutions in our daily lives and in extra helpful ways in which we can protect our endangered animal, the Squirrel Monkey. Since there are not exactly groups or certain laws, beside the obvious ones, dedicated to helping this creature, we need to take these things upon ourselves with the help of others by reaching out with information.

One solution to the problem of deforestation, along with habitat loss and tourism, would be to keep certain areas set aside that would be alright to allow people to walk through and explore, while the other areas in which the animal actually resides. This allows the country to still make money from tourism, especially if it's a popular place, but there won't be much, if any, harm to the surrounding places (5).

When dealing with the capturing and hunting of the Squirrel Monkey, there aren't necessarily laws to keep people from doing it, but where there is a great population of this species, the persons working there (staff) can keep watch over the area and animals in an attempt to protect them and, in the process, educate themselves (5).

There is nothing to keep from natural disasters from happening, but when they do, it is necessary for the community to come together and help by donating money, helping to clean up the location, or building new homes for the animals.

Since there is such an increase in deforestation, there become less and less trees, branches, or vines for which these monkeys to travel by around locations where there might be buildings or developments. Where there are buildings, there needs to be electricity and where there needs to be electricity, there needs to be power lines to connect that electricity. That being said, there is an increased chance for accidents near these power lines. If humans are not careful with where they place them, these animals will end up suffering, like many have already. Squirrel Monkeys use branches, and things of the like, to swing from tree to tree. If there are not trees, they use these power lines, which is causing the deaths of the species (5).

When it comes to pollution, everyone can chip in on that. It is the classic case of destroying habitats world-wide and to put a stop to it, every person needs to give a little and help the cause. If we don't help our world now, who will?

Why is the Squirrel Monkey endangered?

The Squirrel Monkey has been on the endangered species list since the 1970s to about 1994. Then it was removed until 1996 when it was concluded endangered again until 2002 and again in 2004 (3). With this indecisiveness, you can see for yourself that this animal is definitely in danger.

When there was a drastic increase in deforestation due to increased agriculture, tourism, pesticide spraying, pet trade, and electrocution from the building of new things for the population, the Squirrel Monkey was near extinction and was put on the endangered species list (3). Squirrel Monkeys were popular in the United States to capture and keep as pets because they were so exotic; however, this was banned because the extinction rates among this animal was so high because of a combination between hunting and other aspects (4). A few times environmentalists concluded it was extinct until a small population was discovered in some parts of Central America (3).

Facts About the Squirrel Monkey

Classification

Order: Primates
Family: Cebidae
Genus: Saimiri
Species: Sciureus


Description

The actual name given to this animal was determined because the full grown size of a Squirrel Monkey is about the same size as a squirrel (2). The average squirrel monkey is usually from 10 to 14 inches (without the tail), with the tail it would be about 24-31 inches, weighing about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. Females are generally smaller than males. Their fur has a range of colors from browns, whites, greys, blacks, and golds, being very detailed in some places around their faces. It is very short and thick. Their thighs are set up high and they have very muscular legs because they have adapted to jumping from tree to tree in forests. Also, their tails are very muscular because, to them, it is a fifth way to grip onto a branch or vine (1). From head to toe, the head is mainly darker grey or black; the chest and back are a tan, beige, or mixed with multiple colors; and the underbelly, arms, and legs are a golden-yellow color. There is not much detail in a squirrel monkey's eyes because they are a straight jet-black.

Habitat

Squirrel monkeys are mainly found in Northern South America in tropical forests (2). Other areas where they have been known to reside are "East of the Andes from Columbia and northern Peru to northeastern Brazil" (1). They like to live near rivers and in or around forests because of the dense population of trees for them to reside (1).

Diet

Squirrel Monkeys usually eat insects, small birds, spiders, birds eggs, nuts, fruits, vegetables, berries, frogs, and other small animals. They are not easily hunted since they reside high up in the tree tops (1, 2).