- Asiatic lion
- Aye-aye
- Black howler monkey
- Black lion tamarin
- Black rat
- Brown rat, Norway rat
- Brush-tailed bettong
- Capybara
- Common squirrel monkey
- De Brazza's Monkey
- Geoffroy's marmoset
- Dwarf mongoose
- Goeldi's monkey
- Giant jumping rat
- Golden-headed lion tamarin
- Golden lion tamarin
- Grey mouse lemur
- Javan langur
- Lac Alaotra gentle lemur, Bandro
- Lion-tailed macaque
- Livingstone's fruit bat
- Mongoose lemur
- White-faced saki
- Naked mole rat
- North American river otter
- Okapi
- Owl monkey
- Pygmy hippopotamus
- Pygmy slow loris
- Red panda
- Red ruffed lemur
- Ring-tailed lemur
- Sand cat
- Slender-tailed meerkat
- South American fur seal
- South American tapir
- Southern pudu
- Spiny mouse
- Two-toed sloth
- Water vole
- Western lowland gorilla
Common squirrel monkey
Scientific name: Saimiri sciureus
Country: Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela
Continent: South America
Diet: Fruit - frugivore, insects - insectivore, flowers, nectar - nectivore
Food & feeding: Omnivore
Habitats: Tropical rainforest, tropical dry forest
Conservation status: Not threatened
Relatives: Other new world primates e.g.: White-faced saki, Black howler monkey, Black spider monkey
Description: The squirrel monkey's tail is not prehensile but it used in balancing as the animal jumps through the trees. Their body length is about 32cm (12.5 inches) with a slightly longer tail 41cm (16 inches). Males are heavier (750g) than females (500g). Their coat is short, greyish or olive in colour except for its bright yellow legs. Its white face has a peak of dark fur on the forehead and a dark muzzle. Males have larger upper canine teeth than females.
Lifestyle: They are active during the day, spending most of their time in the middle level of the forest, moving from tree to tree looking for the fruits, flowers and insects that make up their diet. They are excellent climbers and leapers and can travel long distances through the forest running along and leaping between branches. Only occasionally do they come down to the ground.
Family & friends: Squirrel monkeys' social relationships are very complex. They live in large groups, subdivided into adult male bands, mother-and-infant bands, and juveniles, except during the mating season. Females often form a special bond with another female. The size of the groups can vary from 20 - 35 up to as many as 200 or more in some areas. They all sleep together at night, then divide up to go and look for food. In the mating season the mature males become very active, put on a lot of weight and seek the company of females.
Keeping in touch: Females utter a "chuck" call that helps them to keep in touch while feeding in dense vegetation. Squirrel monkeys also spread urine on their hands and feet, perhaps leaving a scent trail wherever the monkey walks. Male monkeys remind other monkeys who's boss by showing off their erect penises.
Growing up: Births are carefully timed, occurring during a very short season, corresponding to the time of greatest rainfall. One youngster is born after a gestation of 150-170 days and the males take no part in caring for it. The youngster is carried on the mother's back from the first day, clinging on tightly. After about 5 - 10 weeks it starts to leave the mother, explore its surroundings and take some food and by 5 - 10 months it can be almost independent of the mother. Females mature at about 2 years, males 4 years. They can live as long as 20 years in captivity.
Did you know?
Squirrel monkeys carefully smear food on their tails using their hands. Smelly tails might be important to help identify close friends and family in the tangle of the forest.
Conservation news
Conservation news: Not threatened
