Black Spider Monkey

My first endangered species I have chosen to discuss is the Black Spider Monkey.


DESCRIPTION:
There are many species of spider monkeys and the picture shown is of the black spider monkey whose scientific name is “Ateles Paniscus”. The black spider can be differentiated from the others by it long glossy black hair. The black spider is also the largest of the spider monkey species. Following are the measurement of both the mail and female: 
 

• Male
  • head-body length: 52 - 58 cm
  • tail length 72 – 85 cm
  • weight 5.5 – 9.2 kg
  
  

  
  
  
• Female
  • head-body length: 49 - 62 cm
  • tail length: 64 - 93 cm
  • weight: 6.5 - 11 kg

HABITAT and RANGE:
The black spider monkey normally found living in undisturbed parts of the rainforest. You will rarely see them living in parts of the forest that have been degraded, nor will you see the black spider monkey living on the edge of habitats. The prefer to live in the upper canopy. Rarely will you see them on the forest floor, they tend to sleep high in the trees.
Black spider monkeys are found in the following areas:

• French Guiana
• Northeastern Brazil
• Guyana
• Suriname

Black spider monkeys tend to live in the wet forest and they require a lot of space. The following map shows the range and areas where you may find the black spider monkey.

ROLE IN ECOSYSTEM:
The Black spider monkeys usually live in groups of 15 – 20 members. They ofter hunt in groups of 2 – 5 members. Their diet consist of fruits, seeds, flowers and leaves. Studies have shown that the black spider monkeys eats over 150 different species of plants and fruits. Also, most of the seeds they eat are whole and through their feces they are the sole reasons that many plants and trees propagate. Thus, without the black spider monkeys some of these plants life would not exist.

CAUSE OF DECLINE:
When looking at the decline of the black spider monkeys, first we need to understand that it takes females 7 1/2 months to give birth to a single young. The baby black spider monkey usually lives and depends upon its mother for 4 to 5 years. So, the birth rate of these monkeys are very slow. When you add the slow birth rate with the threats from being hunted and the destruction of the rainforest, these factors are the main reasons for the decline of the black spider monkey. As I stated earlier, the black spider need large areas of undisturbed forest to live. They tend not to do well in disturbed or broken areas of the forest.

IMPORTANCE:
As stated earlier the black spider monkeys are very important to the overall health of the rainforest. Due to their large range in living area and their ability to dispense seeds for than 150+ plants and flowers which for some would be impossible if not for the black spider monkeys. They are important for the health of the rainforest ecosystem.

CONSERVATION EFFORTS:
The black spider monkeys are protected by the Convention on International Trade in endangered species, they are also protested in French Guiana. There are several very large protected areas for the black spider monkeys. Following are a few of the protected areas

• French Guiana
• Northeastern Brazil
• Guyana

Sources Cited:
http://www.arkive.org/black-spider-monkey/ateles-paniscus/
http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/black_spider_monkey
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/black-spider-monkey