Mammal
Southern Muriqui
Brachyteles arachnoidesAlso known as Woolly Spider Monkey, Southern Woolly Spider Monkey
Southern muriquis are among the largest New World primates, famous for their peaceful, highly egalitarian social groups where physical aggression is remarkably rare. These long-limbed canopy dwellers swing through the trees using fully prehensile tails as an effective fifth limb, feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruits. Habitat loss has severely restricted their range, leaving remaining populations reliant on strictly protected Atlantic Forest reserves.
ArborealFrugivorousCanopy Dweller
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Critically EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXCritically EndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyLeaves, Wild fruits, Tree bark
Predators
- Harpy Eagle
- Puma
- Jaguar
ThreatsDeforestation, forest fragmentation, and historical hunting
HabitatsMontane and coastal Atlantic rainforest
Life span30–40 years
Classification
- FamilyAtelidae
- SpeciesBrachyteles arachnoides
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for heavy, yellowish-grey to charcoal primates with long limbs and prehensile tails high in the tree canopy.
- Support conservation
- Observe silently from below without using drones, playback calls, or attempting to attract their attention.
Responsible observation
- Observation Distance: Maintain a quiet, respectful distance below the canopy so family groups can forage undisturbed.
- Trail Etiquette: Stay strictly on marked trails within reserves to avoid damaging fragile understory habitat.
Sympatric Primate (c) Miguelrangeljr, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Bart van Dorp, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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