Woolly monkeys

10april2013
Source: apenheul.nl
A scholarly article about woolly monkeys was featured in an earlier newsletter, about hand-rearing and reintroduction of the animals in the group. Woolly monkeys are also featured as one of the species housed at Apenheul (Netherlands).
A small woolly monkey was born in December: caretakers saw the baby as it hung on the mother’s belly. The caretakers were happy to see the baby, but also concerned. This is the first young born of this mother, Lana (7 years old), and time will tell if she will take good care of her baby. Woolly monkeys are very sensitive to stress and commotion. Because of the very balanced diet they need and their difficult pregnancies, not just any zoo can house these vulnerable primates.

Woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha) are fairly large and have thick grey or brown, woolly fur. They are native to South America and the western Amazon. The monkeys live their lives in the trees, and have a muscular, prehensile tail which allows them to hang and to swing from branch to branch. Woolly monkeys like fruit, and their diet also includes leaves, flowers, seeds and insects. They live in mixed groups of 20 to 30 individuals.