Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey
Encyclopedia
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda) is a New World monkey
endemic to Peru
. It is a rare primate
species found only in the Peruvian Andes
, in the departments of Amazonas
and San Martin
as well as bordering areas of La Libertad
, Huanuco
and Loreto
. Traditionally placed in Lagothrix with the rest of the woolly monkey
s, this species was moved to the monotypic
genus Oreonax in 2001, though a more recent and comprehensive review suggests this was incorrect.
in 1812 under the name Simia flavicauda, based on the skin that had been found 10 years earlier, used by a local man as a horse saddle. Humboldt had never seen a live animal of this species nor a preserved specimen and believed that it is a monkey belonging to the genus Alouatta. For over 100 years, the species was reported on only a few isolated occasions and therefore was thought extinct.
In 1974 a group of scientists, led by Russell Mittermeier
, and funded by WWF
, found a young yellow-tailed woolly monkey which was kept as a pet in the city of Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Amazonas. The rediscovery attracted the attention of national and international press, as well as conservation organizations that saw the need to know quickly the status of this species.
, with yellow on the underside of the rear surface of the tail and a whitish patch on the muzzle
. The average weight is 5.7 kg (12.6 lb) for females and 8.3 kg (18.3 lb) for males. It has a powerful prehensile tail which is capable of supporting the animal's entire body weight while feeding or just hanging around, it also uses its tail to help locomote through the canopy.
, flower
s, bugs
and insect
s are also eaten. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is arboreal and diurnal. It has a multi-male group social system and a polygamous mating system. The species has a variety of vocalisations
including a loud "puppy-like" bark which it uses as a territorial or alarm call.
, Alto Mayo Protected Forest
and Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary
. From the mid 1980's until recently little more conservation or research was made on the species. However starting in 2007, British NGO Neotropical Primate Conservation
has been running conservation initiatives for the species throughout its range.
The species is considered one of "The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
."
New World monkey
New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Platyrrhini parvorder and the Ceboidea superfamily, which are essentially synonymous since...
endemic to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. It is a rare primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
species found only in the Peruvian Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, in the departments of Amazonas
Amazonas Region
Amazonas is a department of northern Peru bordered by Ecuador on the north and west, Cajamarca Department on the west, La Libertad Department on the south, and Loreto Department and San Martín Department on the east. Its capital is the city of Chachapoyas....
and San Martin
San Martín Region
San Martín is a region in northern Peru. Most of the region is located in the upper part of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. Its capital is Moyobamba and the largest city in the region is Tarapoto.-Boundaries:* North and East: Loreto Region...
as well as bordering areas of La Libertad
La Libertad Region
La Libertad is a region in northwestern Peru. Formerly it was known as the 'Department of La Libertad" , a political division that generally corresponds to a state in the United States of America...
, Huanuco
Huánuco
-Famous Natives:* Daniel Alomía Robles - Musical composer and ethnologist born in 1871, famous for El Cóndor Pasa* Johan Fano- Professional football player-External links:*** - Catholic Encyclopedia article...
and Loreto
Loreto Region
Loreto is Peru's northernmost region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest region and also one of the most sparsely populated ones, due to its remote location in the Amazon Rainforest...
. Traditionally placed in Lagothrix with the rest of the woolly monkey
Woolly monkey
The woolly monkeys are the genus Lagothrix of New World monkeys, usually placed in the family Atelidae.There are four species of woolly monkey. All originate from the rainforests of South America...
s, this species was moved to the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus Oreonax in 2001, though a more recent and comprehensive review suggests this was incorrect.
Discovery and rediscovery
The species was first described by Alexander von HumboldtAlexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
in 1812 under the name Simia flavicauda, based on the skin that had been found 10 years earlier, used by a local man as a horse saddle. Humboldt had never seen a live animal of this species nor a preserved specimen and believed that it is a monkey belonging to the genus Alouatta. For over 100 years, the species was reported on only a few isolated occasions and therefore was thought extinct.
In 1974 a group of scientists, led by Russell Mittermeier
Russell Mittermeier
Russell Alan Mittermeier is a primatologist, herpetologist and biological anthropologist. He has written several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has authored some 300 scientific papers.-Biography:...
, and funded by WWF
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
, found a young yellow-tailed woolly monkey which was kept as a pet in the city of Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Amazonas. The rediscovery attracted the attention of national and international press, as well as conservation organizations that saw the need to know quickly the status of this species.
Description
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is the largest of Peru's endemic mammals; adults can measure up to 54 cm (21.3 in) (Head/Body), with tails even longer than the body, up to 63 cm (24.8 in). The hair of the yellow-tailed woolly monkey is long and thick, an adaptation to its cold montane forest habitat. Its colour is deep mahoganyMahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
, with yellow on the underside of the rear surface of the tail and a whitish patch on the muzzle
Snout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
. The average weight is 5.7 kg (12.6 lb) for females and 8.3 kg (18.3 lb) for males. It has a powerful prehensile tail which is capable of supporting the animal's entire body weight while feeding or just hanging around, it also uses its tail to help locomote through the canopy.
Habitat and distribution
The yellow-tailed woolly monkey lives in the montane cloud forests of the Peruvian Andes at elevations of 1500–2700 m (4,921.3–8,858.3 ft) in the departments of Amazonas and San Martin as well as bordering areas of La Libertad, Huanuco and Loreto. Its habitat is characterized by steep gorges and ravines. The original extent of its habitat is estimated to be around 11000 square kilometre, recent estimates put remaining habitat at between 6000 square kilometre.Diet and natural history
Its diet is primarily frugivorous, but leavesLeaves
-History:Vocalist Arnar Gudjonsson was formerly the guitarist with Mower, and he was joined by Hallur Hallsson , Arnar Ólafsson , Bjarni Grímsson , and Andri Ásgrímsson . Late in 2001 they played with Emiliana Torrini and drew early praise from the New York Times...
, flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s, bugs
Bugs
Bugs may refer to:*Heteroptera, the taxonomic order, to which belong "true bugs" insects*arthropods, an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages*Bugs Bunny, an animated cartoon character...
and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s are also eaten. The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is arboreal and diurnal. It has a multi-male group social system and a polygamous mating system. The species has a variety of vocalisations
Animal communication
Animal communication is any behavior on the part of one animal that has an effect on the current or future behaviour of another animal. The study of animal communication, is sometimes called Zoosemiotics has played an important part in the...
including a loud "puppy-like" bark which it uses as a territorial or alarm call.
Reasons for critically endangered status
The inaccessibility of its habitat protected the species until the 1950s. However, the construction of new roads; habitat loss and fragmentation from agriculture, logging and cattle ranching; and subsistence hunting; together with the monkey's naturally low population densities, slow maturation, low reproductive rate, and a restricted geographic distribution have led to this species' current critically endangered status.Conservation
Conservation work started soon after the species re-discovery in the mid 1970's. This pioneering work by the Peruvian NGO APECO led to the creation of three protected areas, Rio Abiseo National ParkRio Abiseo National Park
The Rio Abiseo National Park is located in the San Martín department of Peru. UNESCO pronounced it as Natural and Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 1990. The park is home to a large number of species of flora and fauna, as well as the location of over 30 pre-Columbian archaeological sites...
, Alto Mayo Protected Forest
Alto Mayo Protection Forest
The Alto Mayo Protection Forest is an area of protected forest land in the Yungas of northern Peru. It is situated in the departments of San Martín, in the Yorongos, Rioja, Elías Soplín Vargas, Nuevo Cajamarca districts, and in the Rioja and Moyobamba provinces....
and Cordillera de Colan National Sanctuary
Cordillera de Colán Reserved Zone
The Cordillera de Colán Reserved Zone is a protected area in Peru located in the Amazonas Region, in the Bagua and Utcubamba provinces.- External links :*...
. From the mid 1980's until recently little more conservation or research was made on the species. However starting in 2007, British NGO Neotropical Primate Conservation
Neotropical Primate Conservation
Neotropical Primate Conservation] was founded in 2007 as a non-profit organization and awarded UK charity status in August 2009...
has been running conservation initiatives for the species throughout its range.
The species is considered one of "The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates is a list of highly endangered primate species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group , the International Primatological Society , and Conservation International...
."