Okay so maybe this week’s Monkey Monday Wild Fact is a tad late but nonetheless, here it is! That’s right, we are going to explore the life of a New World Monkey called the Uakari. I know, I thought it was a pretty funny name as well. If you want to actually pronounce the name properly then you need to say it like “wakari”, which is still pretty fun to say. Go ahead and say it one more time before continuing on……”Wakari”! Okay, moving on. These particular primates can be found hanging out in the trees of the South American Rain-forests. In all honesty, what doesn’t hang out in the Rain-forest? That has to be one of the coolest places to live.
When you look at the picture, what is the first thing that you notice? I am going to go out on a limb here and say you noticed the incredibly red face and bald head. Apparently the red face may help with mate selection since animals stricken with malaria will generally have a pale face. So if you ever get stuck with a case of malaria, just paint your face red and the opposite sex will be none the wiser.
Uakari Photo from Wikimedia
What you may not have noticed from the picture is the Uakari differs from most other South American monkey’s since they actually have a short tail. How do they hang around in the trees if they don’t have a long tail? Great question! Apparently they don’t actually need the long prehensile tail to swing from branch to branch. They get by just fine with their powerful arms and legs, which makes me ask the question of why the other monkey’s need such a long tail? It also makes me think that perhaps humans still have a chance to live a life in the trees.
This New World Monkey is very social and can often be found living in a troop of more than a hundred individuals. This big, happy family will typically split out into smaller groups of 1 to 10 in order to forage throughout the day. I wonder how they decide who goes into what groups? I feel bad for that poor monkey who gets picked last. Once darkness falls, this troop of Uakari’s will head to the canopy and sleep in the comfort of the trees.
So there you go, a Monkey Monday Wild Fact for you on this beautiful Thursday. I hope you enjoyed it and I will see you tomorrow for the last fact of the week.
In order to get the week of Wild Facts started off on a the right foot, I figured we would do another Monkey Monday. For some reason, talking about monkeys always makes me laugh and puts me into a great mood. Let’s face it, we could all use an uplifting Wild Fact to start the week off. The monkey that has the task of turning a plain ol’ Monday into a barrel of laughs is the Night Monkey, also known as the Owl Monkey. These little monkeys are widely distributed throughout the forests of Central and South America. It sure does seem like those forests are chalked full of entertaining animals.
At first glance you may have noticed that the Night Monkey is missing their ears. Obviously these monkeys have ears but they tend to be small and hidden. In fact, the genus of the Owl Monkey, which is Aotus actually means “earless”. Clearly the scientist who named this monkey did not take a closer look at them. Even though their ears are tiny, this doesn’t mean that the rest of their attributes follow suit. of course I am talking about their eyes, which are quite large. As their name suggests the Night Monkey is actually a nocturnal monkey, so they are active during the night. Yes, these large brown eyes are perfect for collecting the little light available during these darker hours. Hmmm… I suppose their second name, Owl Monkey, is also derived from their large eyes and night time habits, but this is just a guess.
Photo from birdphotos.com (Wikimedia)
Even if you never get to see the Night Monkey, I am sure you will have plenty of opportunities to hear them. These monkeys may be small but they sure are loud. In fact they have a variety of noises that they can make. Some of the sounds in their vast repertoire include grunts, screams, moans, shrills and even gulps and hoots. Why is it always the nocturnal animals that make such loud noises? Is this nature’s cruel joke so we can’t get any sleep?
Night Monkey Fast Fact – The Night Monkeys are one of the few New World Monkeys that are not able to see colour. In reality, it probably wouldn’t be much of a benefit to see colour if you are only active at night. Other monkeys may be able to see the vibrant colours of the world but the Owl Monkey has higher spatial resolution at night which allows them to catch insects and move about in the dark of the night. Personally, I wouldn’t give up my seeing colours for better night vision but then again, I am not a Night Monkey.
Well that does it for Monkey Monday. I hope today’s fact started your week off just right. If it didn’t then I suggest looking at the second picture of the monkeys again. See, even they are smiling because it’s Monday. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Photo by Luc Viatour - Check out more amazing photos at http://www.lucnix.be
Welcome back to another fun-filled week of Wild Facts. I hope all of you enjoyed the Cartoon Wild Facts last week. If you don’t know what I am talking about then I suggest you go back a few days and read up on some real life animals based on your favourite cartoon characters. I am around all week so it will just be the usual, random animals. We are going to start off the randomness with the Squirrel Monkey. For the record, I think the picture above is one of the cutest pictures I have posted on Wild Facts. I highly recommend checking out Luc Viatour’s website at http://www.lucnix.be since he has some incredible photos. Honestly, his photography will blow you away. Okay, back to our Wild Fact! Let’s head to the tropical forests of Central and South America to see if we can track down a real, live version of the Squirrel Monkey.
You better be on your toes to catch a glimpse of this unique monkey since they are only 20 to 35 cm (7.8 – 14″) long. To increase our chances of spotting a Squirrel Monkey we should probably find out exactly what they look like. Well, they look like the picture below, silly! Okay, I will do a better description than that. They have short fur and usually olive coloured fur on their shoulders and orange on their back. Meanwhile their throat and ears are white and their head is actually quite hairy compared to the rest of their body. There, now we have no excuse for not recognizing this monkey throughout our trek in the rain forest.
Photo by Luc Viatour (www.lucnix.be)
When you meet a Squirrel Monkey I don’t want you to be jealous okay? What could you possibly be jealous about you ask? Well, other than the fact they get to spend all their time hanging around trees in the tropics, they also have the largest brain to body mass ratio of all the primate species. That’s right, for their body size their brain is actually larger than ours. It isn’t just a pretty cool fact as the Squirrel Monkey does actually use their brain and is known to be one of the more intelligent monkey species out there.
Squirrel Monkey Fast Fact – When you see one of these little monkey’s you are probably going to see many more. The Squirrel Monkey is known to live in fairly large troops. I am talking upwards of 500 individual monkey’s living together. There are towns in Canada that don’t have that many individuals.
That does it for Monkey Monday! Make sure you check out the short video clip of a Squirrel Monkey (with a baby) below. Have a great day!
Today we are going to celebrate Monkey Monday (I swear I just make these things up as I go) by exploring the world of the Guereza, which is also known as the Eastern Black and White Colobus, Mantled Guereza or the Abyssinian Black and White Colobus. So where does all of this “Colobus” talk come from? Well, you see the Guereza is actually a type of Colobus monkey. These are old world monkey’s native to Africa. Yep, you guessed it, we are heading to west central or east Africa to learn about this unique primate.
The Mantled Guereza typically has a length between 46 and 71 cm (18-28″) with a tail measuring 51 to 89 cm (20-35″). Yes, that means that the tail of this cuddly monkey is actually longer than the monkey itself. As you would expect this tail is the perfect adaptation for life in the trees. An even better (and more interesting) adaptation to tree-life are the rump callouses these animals have. This gives them the ability to sit for long periods of time on those skinny branches without getting uncomfortable. I know you probably think that your husband must have these from the couch but lets be nice.
Photo from Wikicommons
The social life of the Guereza is exciting since they usually hang out in troops of 6 to 9 individuals. Unlike other monkey families this troop may actually contain more than one adult male. They also take control of a large tract of land which is typically around 40 acres. Usually they will have a preferred area within this home range. I guess everyone has their favourite spots. If another troop enters this territory they will normally be chased, however, they will not necessarily be totally excluded from the area. The Colobus monkey will use a variety of calls and sounds to indicate which areas are theirs.
Guereza Fast Fact – Although we may think that all monkey’s have the famous “opposable thumb” the Guereza actually has a very undeveloped thumb. This obviously does not interfere with their tree climbing abilities since they are very proficient in the tree tops. Besides, who needs an opposable thumb when you have rump callouses??
Thanks for participating in Monkey Monday’s. See all of you back for tomorrow for another Wild and Amazing Fact!
The weekend is over and we are back for another exciting, fun-filled week of Wild Facts. Today is going to be known as Monkey Monday since we are going to go deep into the world of the White Faced Capuchin. You might recognize this medium-sized New World Monkey from your days lounging around on the couch while watching endless hours of TV. Of course the White Faced Capuchin was front in center on the Blockbuster Hit, Outbreak. You didn’t see that movie but still recognize this little monkey? This tells me that you were an avid fan of the sitcom Friends. Of course, the primate pet of Ross was a White Faced Capuchin. In case it is going to bother you his name was Marcel, however, I do believe he was played by a female Capuchin. Enough of the TV trivia, let’s move onto today’s Wild Fact.
The White Faced Capuchin has also been called the White-Headed Capuchin or the White-Throated Capuchin. Of course, all of these unoriginal names are for obvious reasons. This particular Capuchin plays an important role in the rainforest ecosystems of Central America and the northern portion of South America. This monkey plays a large role in dispersing seeds and pollen throughout their jungle habitat. I guess they are like bumblebees of the rainforest.
Photo by Steven G. Johnson (Wikimedia)
The White Faced Capuchin is thought to be one of the most intelligent monkey species living on this planet. This would explain how they have been trained to assist paraplegic people in North America. This probably suits the Capuchin just fine since they are a very social animal. Normally they will reside in troops containing 3 to 30 individuals with at least one male in the group. In large groups the ratio of females to males is about 3:1 while it is a more even 1:1 ratio in the smaller groups. While living in these groups the monkey’s will groom each other and often form alliances with other individuals of the group. How about that, even a monkey troop is cliquey.
White Faced Capuchin Fast Fact – Although the White Faced Capuchin is not territorial they will become very aggressive towards members of other groups. I guess it would be difficult to become territorial when this group of Capuchin’s travel on average 2 km per day. I wonder if they ever get jet lagged from all of that tree-top swinging traveling?
That does it for Monkey Monday. Make sure you tune in for tomorrow’s amazing animal fact. Have a great day! Actually, before you go, watch the short clip below to find out just how smart the White Faced Capuchin really is!
Luckily the internet in the Yukon is back up and running. I was seriously pulling my hair out trying to post yesterday’s Wild Fact from my Blackberry. I wanted to end the week with a fun and entertaining Wild Fact. And let’s face it, what is more fun and entertaining than a monkey? So today we are going to the Savannah’s of Africa to learn about the Patas Monkey. What are you waiting for? Grab your running shoes and let’s hit the semi-arid areas of Western Africa (and a portion of East Africa ).
I really hope you brought your good running shoes for this trip because you will definitely need them. The Patas Monkey can reach speeds up to 55 km/hr (34 mph) which makes them the fastest primate around. Yes, that is even faster than Usain Bolt who’s top speed was around 44 km/hr (27 mph). So why are we not entering Patas Monkey’s into the summer Olympics? Oh right, they are monkeys. As you may have guessed by now these are not your typical branch swinging, tree living monkey’s that we are use to. Nope they prefer to live on the ground in more open areas. Obviously this allows them to escape predators by running away without the fear of hitting 28 trees on their escape route.
Although they don’t hang out in the trees, the Patas Monkey does share the social life of other monkey species. Usually the Patas can be found living in a troop of about 10 individuals. The troop will consist of one male with the remainder of the family being females and their young. Normally when a male reaches 5 years of age he will leave home and find a new troop. I wonder if they get the same feeling that you had as you drove away from your sons college campus. You know the one, right? The dad is grinning ear to ear while the mother is crying all the way home.
Infant Patas Monkey - Wikimedia
The Patas Monkey likes to be different so unlike other monkey troops the female is the leader of their troop. Let’s face it, she probably is in the other monkey troops as well but just let’s the male think he is leading. The females in the Patas troop are often seen fighting with other troop leaders while the male just hangs back without a care in the world. Like a good husband though he will spring to life when a predator is on the scene. He will put down his beer and stop watching the football game long enough to try and intimidate the oncoming attacker. He does this be making loud sounds as he slowly walks away from the rest of his troop. Once the predator follows him the female and babies will run away closely followed by the brave male (which is probably closely followed by a cheetah or a hyena).
Patas Monkey Fast Fact – The Patas Monkey just happens to be the one of the worlds most thriving primate species. I am guessing that humans are also on the list of thriving primates but who knows. The Patas are able to thrive since they live in open grasslands so they don’t have to worry about habitat destruction as much as their tree loving friends.
Before you head out to enjoy your weekend I recommend you check out the short video clip on the Patas Monkey. It is a pretty interesting video although it does have a very short mating scene towards the end so get ready to cover the young ones eyes. Have a great weekend folks!
Since I am still having nightmares from the vicious Honey Badger Wild Fact, I figured I would calm things down today and write about a nice, soft, fuzzy monkey. Well I guess it isn’t technically a “Fuzzy Monkey” since I am actually talking about the “Woolly Monkey”. For the record, if I ever discover a new monkey species, I am naming it the Fuzzy Monkey.
The Woolly Monkey can be found hanging out in the tropical forests of north-west South America. They are actually well known for their incredibly round head and of course for their dense “wool-like” fur. Not unusual for monkey’s the Woolly Monkey has a strong prehensile tail which allows them to live a life in the trees. The Woolly Monkey is a social animal and will usually live in troops ranging from 10 to 45 individuals. That would be one soft, cuddly troop of monkey’s.
Although they live in this main group they will often break up into sub-foraging groups of 2 to 6 individuals. No this isn’t just because a monkey troop is as cliquey as a Grade 9′s homeroom class (do they even have homeroom still?). Actually, they create these smaller groups to reduce the food competition between the individual members of the hunting party. This way, everyone gets some food to eat without having to cheat, steal and lie. Good strategy, Woolly Monkey!
Woolly Monkey
The Woolly Monkey can weigh up to 8 kg (18 lbs) and as a result only has a few natural predators such as eagles and cats like the jaguar. Of course, humans are probably their largest predator since we seem to like the way they taste. Similarly humans will often capture them for use in the illegal pet trade. If anyone you know has a Woolly Monkey, it very well could be illegal. I guess I will have to find a new Christmas gift for my monkey-loving mother.
Woolly Monkey Fast Fact – Play time is very important for the Woolly Monkey as it not only creates lifetime bonds between troop members but it also establish the hierarchy of the troop. Just like in the school yard it is play time that identifies the leader of your clique.
That does it for today’s mid-week Wild Fact. I will see all of you tomorrow with another animal.
Wooohooo!! Another week of Wild Facts. I know all of you wish that the weekend would just hurry up and get out of the way so you can start reading these interesting animal facts again. Pesky weekends! Today we are going to look at the Cotton-Top Tamarin and they personally remind of a Gremlin. Does anyone else see this resemblance? You may remember we discussed a similar animal called the Emperor Tamarin, the one with the big mustache. Like their cousin the Cotton-Top Tamarin is also a small monkey found in the beautiful forests of South America.
The Cotton-Top is only about 18-30 cm (7-12″) long and is different than most monkey’s since they don’t have an opposable thumb or a prehensile tail. Don’t worry since this doesn’t make them any less of a monkey although I am sure they get teased by all of the other monkey’s during recess. This particular tamarin species has claws on all of their fingers and toes except for the big toe, which has the customary flat nail. I would guess that the claws help this little monkey hang out in the trees with the rest of their friends.
If you want to get a glimpse of these little guys then you are in luck since they are diurnal animals which simply means they are most active during the day. It is in the bright daylight hours that they will be on the hunt for both plants and animals to consume. Among their favourites are fruit, insects and lush green plants. They will also throw in the odd rodent or the eggs of an unsuspecting reptile, and to conquer that sweet tooth they will feast on tree sap. Once the sun sets the Cotton-Top Tamarin will retreat to the tree tops for some much needed rest.
Photo by: Raimond Spekking
These little “Gremlins” can be a noisy bunch and have about 38 distinct sounds which express joy, curiosity, fear, warnings, playfulness and other important behavioural sounds. I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised to hear that this monkey is a complex animal. After all, we do have common ancestors, right? Judging by the hair I am pretty certain that the famous boxing promoter, Don King is directly related to the Cotton-Top Tamarin. I bet the scientist from Back to the Future is also closely related.
Cotton-Top Tamarin Fast Fact – This beautiful little creature is considered to be critically endangered with a population somewhere around 6000 individuals. This is no surprise since they have lost about 75% of their habitat due to deforestation. I am still holding out that someday we will realize that everything on this earth is connected and we are only hurting ourselves by decimating animal populations.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. I have this crazy urge to go and watch Gremlins now. I wonder what happens if you feed a Cotton-Top Tamarin after midnight?
Today is a special post since it is Wild Fact #800! Can you believe we have already done 200 interesting animal facts? We have learned a lot of crazy things from snakes that play dead to fish that can walk on land. Just think about what other amazing species that inhabit this earth we will learn about in the next 800 Wild Facts. I guess now would be a good time to get the 800th Fact started. We are going to learn about the Spider…..calm down, I am not talking about the bug, I am talking about the Monkey! That’s right let’s take a closer look at the Spider Monkey.
To learn about the Spider Monkey we are going on a trip to the rain forest of Central and South America. You coming, or what? Now that we have gotten through security and are enjoying a peaceful plane ride to South America let me tell you a few things about the Spider Monkey. This way we will know what we are getting into when we are wandering through the forest. First, we need to know what they look like. The spider monkey can get as long as 2 feet and has lanky arms and a nice long tail. As with other monkey’s they use this tail for gripping and hanging out in the trees. Since they spend most of their time in the trees we will most likely have a kink in our necks by the time we are done visiting the rain forest.
The spider monkey is a very social animal and will usually gather in groups of two or three dozen (that is 24-36 monkey’s). This group will usually break up into smaller sub-groups for foraging and sleeping. This allows the food to be dispersed evenly amongst the groups. The part that I find interesting about their social behaviour is the fact that it is the female monkey that will leave the group to find a new family. In most other monkey species it is the male that leaves the group. In my opinion, it is about time the female gets kicked out for once. Well, before we pick up our luggage and head out to the rain forest, let me give you one last fact. Oh Man! Where are my bags??
Spider Monkey Fast Fact – Spider monkey’s really like to hang upside down with all four legs and tail holding onto a branch. I guess this slightly resembles a spider hence their name.
Since I had a lot of fun writing about a monkey yesterday, I figured I would keep the trend going into the middle of the week. Unlike the Crab-Eating Macaque who lived in Southeast Asia, the Mandrill likes to hang out in Africa. So grab your cool safari hat and some binoculars since we are taking a surprise trip to Africa. I hope you are as excited as I am about this trip!
The Mandrill is a medium to large sized primate weighing about 11 – 30 kg (25-60 lbs) and tends to be one of the larger species of monkey’s. Manny the Mandrill (if I had a pet mandrill, I would call him Manny) is closely related to the baboon and at one time was thought to be a sub-species, however, it was later proven that they are indeed two separate species.
We can’t have a fact about the mandrill without mentioning their most obvious trait. Of course I am talking about the colourful nose and bright red rump. As usual, the males are brighter than the females (read into that however you would like ). This beautiful colouring is used to attract the best mate possible for Manny and his friends. The mandrill has also adapted long canine teeth that can be used for self-defense but they are usually shown as a sign of friendship among other mandrills. Although it may look deadly with the large canines, they are actually just smiling at you. Be polite and smile back!
This particular monkey is designed for spending the majority of their time on the ground where they forage for fruits, insects, reptiles and amphibians. What kind of monkey would they be if they didn’t hang out in the trees a little bit though? I am pretty sure this is the sole reason the mandrill heads to the trees to sleep. I suppose they could do this to keep their monkey status card but it is most likely a safety precaution to get away from predators.
I hope you enjoyed today’s colourful post. If you have a question then please don’t hesitate to ask in the comment box below.
Welcome to my ongoing project to provide you with 1000 Animal Facts. Every week-day I will provide a new and interesting animal fact counting down from 1000. My goal is to hopefully educate the young and old alike about the interesting adaptations of the animal kingdom. As well, I am hoping people will gain a greater appreciation of the animals we share earth with. If you have any questions, please feel free to use the Contact form or leave a comment.
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