I would say uakaris are quite a cheeky bunch, wouldn’t you?
- Uakaris are four species of monkey of small size, native to South America’s tropical rainforests in the Amazon River Basin.
- The scientific name of a uakari is Cacajao, and it is from the family Pitheciidae, a family of New World Monkeys.
- Uakaris range from 36 to 57 centimetres (14 to 22.5 inches) in length and weigh between 2 to 3.5 kilograms (4.4 to 7.7 pounds).
- Depending on the species, uakaris have hair that can be coloured brown, red, white or black, while their mostly hairless face can be black or a vivid red colour.
- The diet of uakaris consists primarily of fruit, as well as insects, nuts and leaves, and the monkeys are preyed upon by hawks and other large birds, and snakes.
Uakari
Image courtesy of Paul Schlarman/Flickr
- Uakaris live high up in tall trees, and spend much time jumping from tree to tree in leaps that can reach distances of up to 20 metres (66 feet).
- The face colour of a uakari reflects the primate’s health, with a paler colour indicating a less healthy specimen, while species kept in captivity are notably more pale than their wild counterparts.
- As a result of hunting and habitat loss, there has been a decrease in the population of uakaris, and as such, they are listed as vulnerable.
- The tail of a uakari is notably smaller in comparison to other New World monkeys, reaching lengths of 15 to 18 centimetres (6 to 7 inches), and it is used primarily for balance.
- Female uakaris give birth to a single baby every second year, and they generally have a lifespan between 16 to 22 years, and live in small troops of 10 to 30 animals, although they can number up to 100.
Bibliography:
Red Uakari, 2015, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/red-uakari/
Uakari, 2014, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uakari
Uakari, 2015, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/uakari/
