Howler animal. Red or red howler. External signs of a red howler

View: Alouatta seniculus Linnaeus = Red [red] howler

Species: Alouatta seniculus Linnaeus = Red [red] howler

Red howler monkey: Alouatta seniculus Linnaeus, 1766 - lives in the northern part of South America from Colombia to Venezuela. The red howler has been recorded in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

These are the largest animals among the American monkeys, about the size of a large dog. The faces are bare, fringed with fur, with prominent snouts and upturned noses. Red howler monkeys have a powerful neck and protruding lower jaw, which gives them an intimidating appearance and unattractive expression.

Red howler monkeys have a long, silky coat. Both sexes have a long, prehensile tail that is covered with dense fur except for the underside of the apical third, which is hairless. This is an adaptation for grabbing branches with the tail.

Red howler monkeys have upper molars with sharp ridges that they use to grind shoots; large salivary glands help digestive system in the processing and breakdown of tannins that come from plant shoots even before food reaches the stomach and intestines.

The color of the coat is reddish or reddish brown, although its shade changes slightly with age.

Red howler monkeys are characterized by sexual dimorphism in body size. Head and body length of females - 46-57 cm, males - 49-72 cm, tail length (49-75 cm). On average, the body weight of howler monkeys is 4.5-6.5 kg, according to other sources, it varies from 5700-7400 g, while the average weight of males and females is 6.690 g and 5.210 g, respectively.

The red howler lives in rainy evergreen tropical and deciduous forests.

Enemies: The harpy eagle successfully hunts not only young, but also adult red howler monkeys. There is an observation when a harpy attacked an adult male, grabbed it with its claws and carried it about 30 m through the air. Interestingly, harpy eagles weigh significantly less than adult males.

Many young people die from alien males invading the family group. And although mothers try to protect their babies, only 25 percent of them successfully survive. Infanticide - main reason infant mortality in red howler monkeys.

Apparently, these animals live in captivity up to 25 years, in nature - much less. One wild-born animal was still alive after 22.8 years in captivity.

Red howler monkeys are famous for their "dawn chorus": a deafening roar that can be heard at a distance of up to 5 kilometers. This resonant howl, performed primarily by the males of the group, is answered by all other units of the dumbest howler within earshot. In this way, one squad can constantly inform the other of its composition and exact location, thereby avoiding energetically expensive quarrels over trifles and control over resources. In addition, this call also informs solitary animals about the location of their fellows.

Red howler monkeys are primarily green eaters, feeding mainly on young leaves and shoots and also on fruits. Leaves contain less nutrients, however, the intestines of howler monkeys have two sections where bacteria that digest cellulose live. The intestine occupies one third of the body. For thorough chewing of the leaves, a powerful lower jaw. Howler monkeys can feed on leaves alone for weeks without suffering much from a lack of any nutrients or trace elements.

Red howler monkeys also improve the digestive efficiency of their feed by selecting primarily tender young shoots that are remarkably nutritious. In addition, they eat nuts, sweet fruits, and flowers when available. Small animals are also usually eaten if they are caught by monkeys. These foods are important additions to the monkey's diet, which is 40% green shoots.

Howler monkeys spend almost their entire lives in upper tier rainforest where they feed on leaves, flowers and fruits. Due to the low caloric content of the food they consume, red howler monkeys are forced to save their energy by moving slowly and little through the forest, covering only about 400 m per day. The dominant male searches for food for the detachment in the forest crown.

Monkeys are most active in the morning and evening, resting most of the middle of the day and night, sleeping in the trees. Thanks to their adaptations and slowness, they can afford to sleep 15 hours a day.

This species uses its tail for locomotion as a support and for balance, but especially for feeding, to pull a branch towards itself with a treat.

Red howler monkeys have a funny reaction to rainy days during the tropical wet season. heavy rains, they howl before they approach, and when it starts to rain, they sit still, stooped, until the rain stops.

Shortly after dawn, each group of howler monkeys, located at a height of about 20 m above the ground, practice loud choral singing for at least 15 minutes, stopping to catch their breath and listen to the singing of neighboring groups of howler monkeys.

Young males live outside the order when they reach sexual maturity. Having become sexually mature, they look for a new squad to join it. Upon joining a new troop, a male often kills all the offspring of the previous, dominant male whose place he has taken in the troop, to ensure that he does not waste time watching another monkey's young while he himself proceeds to breed.

Howler monkeys live in family groups of 5-40 individuals, among which only one, less often two, are adult males.

Upon reaching puberty, young males are expelled from the family group and forced to look for a new herd. In the event that the male is accepted, he begins to crack down on small cubs, expressing dissatisfaction with any other offspring except his own. Mothers defend their children, but in this case, after the aggression of the male, no more than 25% of all offspring survive. After birth, the cub becomes the object of attention of several females; in fact, those females who do not have offspring take care of him. Males are tolerant of their offspring, they allow the cubs to crawl on them.

Like other types of howler monkeys, they breed all year round. However, according to observations from Venezuela, offspring are born less often during the rainy season from May to July. Estrial cycles repeat every 16-20 days, and females remain receptive to mating and conception for 2-4 days.

After giving birth, newborns usually become the focus of attention of several females that make up the group. Usually, these are females without babies of their own, and their instinct is attracted to these babies. Females are extremely friendly to babies. They usually even sometimes allow the baby to crawl on them.

The mating behavior of red howler monkeys is another interesting aspect of their social interactions. Males and females form a mating pair, with an unusually close spatial relationship, even before any sexual relationship begins. Once these associations are formed, persistent sexual requests and harassment begin. While seductive behavior can be performed by both sexes, the female most often takes on the aggressive role. Trying to attract the male, the female approaches him and moves rhythmically with her pelvis. The male usually responds to her in the same way, but if he does not make such movements, the female is simply trying to seduce another male.

Frenzied sexual competition is often seen between males; members of the squad, consisting of young already sexually mature males, enter into combat with males living in a female (mixed) group in an attempt to become a member of it. Males who are expelled from their groups in which they were born, now, upon reaching puberty, must invade another order in order to gain access to females. If they succeed, they usually, first of all, destroy the newborns left in the group from the previous male, with the goal of leaving only their offspring.

Pregnancy: 140-190 days. One cub is born, but rare cases of twins are known. The weight of babies at birth is 263 g. Newborns are completely helpless and are in the care of their mother, tightly clinging to her fur on her belly. Over time, having matured a little, he moves onto the mother's back, additionally holding his tail to the base of the mother's tail, and in this way travels with the detachment through the forest.

Newborns often become the focus of other females, especially those without babies of their own. Females usually gently touch the baby with their muzzle and hands, and encourage their actions if the baby wants to climb on them.

Already at the age of a month, they know how to grab the branches with their tail, and since then the mother has been less careful about their safety. Babies ride on their mother for at least one year and continue to feed on mother's milk for 18-24 months. Females reach sexual maturity at 5 years, males - at 7. Therefore, females start breeding a couple of years earlier than males.

The red howler is the most common of all New World primates and has no special conservation status. They are still common and numerous in Brazil, but in some areas they have become rare, probably due to the destruction of their habitat.

December 15th, 2017

Did you know that the noisiest primate is the howler monkey? The Colombian and loud-voiced representative of these animals more than once terrified the conquistadors. Yes, yes, as you might have guessed - the howler got its name for a reason. This animal is famous for its long and loud roar. The howler usually makes noise in the morning and after dinner. The initiators of the cry are males, and females usually pick up the desire of male howlers.

Howler monkeys are the largest representatives of the chain-tailed monkey family, otherwise called capuchins. Their main life activities take place in 2 types: feeding and roaring. Monkeys sleep at night. True, sometimes they roar in their sleep. You are about to hear a report on these interesting animals now.

Howler monkeys (lat. Aloautta) - genus broad-nosed monkeys arachnid family (Atelidae). They inhabit the rain and mountain forests of Central and South America, living mainly on trees. Howler monkeys live in family groups of 15-18 individuals. A typical diet is leaves, fruits and buds. Most known species- red howler (Venezuela and Guiana) and Central American howler (Mexico and northern regions South America).
Penetrating, almost human eyes, as if penetrating into the depths of the soul. It seems that the animal understands the interlocutor without a single word. For home content they approach but feel slighted and are often simply grieving. It is better if the howler monkey lives in a pack of a full life, and not in a cage.

The howler monkey is one of the largest monkeys in Brazil. It got its name from a heart-rending cry that can be heard for many kilometers around. Depending on the habitat, the coat can acquire a red, light or dark brown, black color.

There is no hair on the muzzle, the jaw is rather wide, pushed forward a little. The primate has impressive fangs that allow you to get coconuts and drink milk or juice. The lower part of the muzzle is framed by a neat beard. Each paw has five tenacious claws. The end of the tail is bald due to its frequent use, combs and patterned patterns are found along the entire length.

The special cry of the howler monkey is due to the presence of throat pouches. They collect saliva and air, when you inhale they mix, and when you exhale, you get a piercing roar. Something similar to natural resonators.

The howler monkey is by nature a calm animal, active in the sunny time of the day. Their daytime worries are to bypass the territory, and latently you can refresh yourself with tasty treats. At night they fully sleep, but some males do not stop screaming at night. Primates live in family communities that number from 15 to 17 individuals.

In the group there is always one dominant male and his deputy, they have several females at their disposal. The lady herself lets know about the readiness for intercourse. If the main male is not ready, then she switches to an assistant. It is with a roar that male howler monkeys make it clear that this is their territory. Yet there is no clear division, often between the heads of groups there are battles. In such unequal fights, many males die. Sometimes fights occur due to the fact that the female paid attention to the male from the neighboring group. Fights are very tough, and the winner always finishes off the victim.

Recently, scientists published the results of studies on the howler's throaty roar. They say that the hyoid bone acts as a resonator. The larger it is, the stronger the roar. Scientists have also traced a tempting relationship between the amount of sound and the size of the primate's genitals. If the animal bawls for a long time, then this only speaks of not very special abilities, like a male. And with a constant roar, he once again calls the female.
Seasoned males reach almost a meter in length. Their tail is the same size. He has quite unusual view: at the bottom tail with inside there is a plot without wool with patterns and scallops on the skin. Thanks to them, howler monkeys make such movements with their tail, as if it were an extra hand. With the help of it, they grab and pluck fruits, leaves, gently and carefully “examine” their relative, caress the kids. The tail is so strong that it supports the weight of the animal's body when it hangs upside down. The lower and upper limbs of howler monkeys have five tenacious movable fingers with flat nails.

Looking at howler monkeys, first of all, you pay attention to the head with a hairless face and a beard. The enlarged laryngeal sac is also noteworthy. Their "clothing" looks like a black, brown, reddish, copper-red dense mane. Powerful fangs and jaws protruding forward make the individual quite scary.

The main diet of the howler monkey is the leafy greens of trees, flowers, fruits, fruits, young buds and shoots. Sometimes you can see how the primate stuffs soil into its mouth.

This is how he tries to neutralize poisonous property some plants. Ground minerals collect toxic substances and, without causing harm, are excreted from the body. Since these monkeys are vegetarians, and plant food does not give much energy, they do not move for long distances. All the power is saved for everyday concerts. Monkeys can be observed making micro holes in a tree trunk and sucking out the juice rich in substances (nutrients), vitamins and microelements.

After mating, the female leads a slightly secluded lifestyle, she tries to protect herself as much as possible. Carries a fetus for 190 days, there are rarely twins. Immediately after birth, the baby clings to the mother's fur and literally lives on it. The mature cub is still in no hurry to leave the parent and can accompany her from 18 to 24 months. The female feeds the baby breast milk She is an excellent mother - caring and attentive. If the baby was absent for a short time, then the parent constantly calls to him in common. When the cub reaches puberty, the mother resorts to aggression to drive it away. The sight is not pleasant, as the monkey is constantly striving to return, you can even see tears. Often, young male howler monkeys are simply expelled from their home group so that there is no incest. It is also not uncommon for young animals to die in violent fights.

Primates express their favorable attitude and love by stroking their long tail. They use it in courtship and as a care for a mischievous baby. A delightful sight is multi-colored howler monkeys sitting in a row, with open mouths, giving a morning concert.

habitats
This type of monkey is found in moist forests mountainous part of the Central and Latin America. They live in large herds. They are most often seen on tall trees. After all, it is there that there is a huge amount of food in the form of buds, fresh succulent leaves, flowers, seeds, which are the basis of their nutrition.

"Concerts" of howlers
Every day, as soon as the sun's rays shine, a herd of about 40 individuals goes to the "concert venue" - the peaks huge trees. At first silently, howler monkeys settle comfortably and securely. They cling tightly with their limbs to, and tightly wrap their tail around a stable branch. After a certain signal, the "soloists" - seasoned males - begin to shout at the top of their lungs. This is a kind of single combat, when each of them, having swollen his throat, roars, carefully and seriously looking at his relatives. After some time, already dozens of ordinary monkeys, shouting over the "soloists", merge into a thunderous choir. They roar for three or four minutes so deafeningly and powerfully that the sound spreads for kilometers. Then the "singing" breaks off, reaching highest point. There is a short silence, during which the howler monkeys are fed, gathering strength for a new roar.

In the afternoon, a herd of capuchins goes to the wilds of the forest for lunch. And in the evening, their cries again announce the surroundings. Travelers who have seen and heard howler monkeys, describing their "concerts" in their travel notes, invariably asked questions: why do animals scream so loudly and what is the purpose of their morning and evening "concerts". The first question was answered immediately after studying the structure of the howler. It turns out that their guttural sacs work as resonators. Therefore, the sounds that representatives of this family make are multiplied many times, becoming loud and powerful. But about the purpose of the screams of these individuals, several assumptions were made. The first is to intimidate a potential enemy. The second is an application for the lands that they occupied, such a kind of sentry "singing". It seems that you were interested in the message about these interesting and not yet fully studied representatives of the capuchins.

Red howler, or red howler (lat. Alouatta seniculus) is one of the species of broad-nosed monkeys (Platyrrhini).
Red howler monkeys, like most other monkeys, have developed social behavior. Representatives of this species are united in groups of five to twenty individuals. The group is led by an old male. Other sexually mature males also claim the position of the leader of the group, so skirmishes for superiority often arise between males.

Red howler monkeys are leisurely animals. They slowly climb trees and between them, covering a distance of about 400 meters per day. They are active mainly in the morning and afternoon hours. At night they sleep in the trees. The length of the male is 85-100 cm; the length of the females is 74-89 cm. Males weigh 6.5 to 8 kg, females are much smaller, their weight is from 4.5 to 6.4 kg.

The diet includes peanuts, tree leaves, various seeds, fruits and flowers. The digestive tract of red howler monkeys is well adapted to plant foods: it is quite long, contains special bacteria that help digest solid food. The rufous howler has no specific breeding season; partners change frequently. Pregnancy lasts 186-194 days. There is always one cub in the litter. The mother feeds the cub from 18 to 24 months.

Sexually mature males are the leaders of the group. They may either create new groups or try to overthrow the leading males. The age of puberty is from 3.5 to 4 years. Some scientists have identified up to 9 subspecies of red howler monkeys: Alouatta seniculus seniculus, A. s. arctoidea, A. s. stramineus, A. s. macconnelli, A. s. insulanus, A. s. amazonica, A. s. juara, A. s. puruensis and A. s. sara. Most of them are recognized as synonyms of other subspecies. Data for A. s. stramineus is not yet available.

The red howler is distributed from Colombia to the Amazon and from Ecuador to central Bolivia. conservation status species - causing the least concern (eng. Least Concern).

The Central American howler (lat. Alouatta pigra) is a primate from the family of spider monkeys. It is found in the rainforests of Belize, Guatemala and Mexico.

Central American howler monkeys are the largest of the howler genus and one of the largest New World primates. Males of this species are the largest primates of Central America. The weight of males is on average 11.4 kg, the weight of females is on average 6.4 kg. Body length from 521 to 639 mm. Tail length from 590 to 690 mm. The coat is long, black. Tail of grasping type. The coat of newborns is brown, darkening with age. Males are older four months have a white scrotum.

Morphologically adapted to a plant diet. The molars have a high cutting edge, which helps these animals to chew the leaves. Males have an enlarged hyoid bone, which serves as a resonator for the loud roaring cries for which representatives of the howler genus are known.

Diurnal arboreal animals. They form small groups, which include one or two adult males, the ratio of the number of females to the number of males is on average 1.3. The group usually consists of 2 to 16 individuals, including young. The territory of the group is from 3 to 25 ha. The population density can exceed 250 individuals per km2.

The diet consists mainly of leaves and fruits, supplemented by flowers and seeds.

Females reach sexual maturity at the age of 4 years, males later, at the age of 6-8 years. Upon reaching puberty, males usually leave the group, females remain. Life expectancy up to 20 years.

Sources:

It seems to a person who finds himself in the South American jungle for the first time that he hears the growl of a lion or some huge and terrible animal very close by. And usually he is very surprised when he learns that these terrifying sounds are not made by a huge predator, but by a relatively small tropical monkey. She is called, in honor of her loud cry, howler.

Howler monkeys are not dangerous animals at all. On the contrary, they are peaceful tree monkeys. Seeing this creature, one can only wonder why it should emit such a rolling growl.

Habitats, types of howler monkeys

Howler monkeys (Aloautta) are representatives of the family of chain-tailed monkeys (capuchins). They have the widest geographic distribution of any other New World monkey. Found from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. inhabit Various types forests, mangroves, forest savannas. They rise to a height of 2500 meters above sea level. They prefer the lower and middle tiers of the forest.

In their family, howler monkeys are the largest monkeys. The length of their body, depending on the species, varies from 45 to 63 cm, weight can reach up to 9 kg. The coat of these primates is quite long, the color varies from light red to black.

The length of the tail is greater than the length of the body. In general, the tail plays very important role: the monkey uses it as an additional hand (holds on to a branch, grabs various objects, etc.). It is so powerful and strong that a howler can wrap a branch with the tip of its tail and hang upside down for a long time.

In total, there are 6 species in the genus Aloautta.

1) Central American Howler (Alouatta pigra)

It is found on the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), in Guatemala, Belize.

The most numerous species. Wool coarse, black.

2) Colombian howler (Alouatta coibensis)

Lives in Central America.

Wool from brown to black, with a golden tint on the back; yellow-brown fringe on the sides of the body

3) Red howler (Alouatta seniculus)

Found from northern Colombia to central Bolivia.

The coat is orange-brown, the belly is lighter, the beard is dark.

4) Red-armed Howler (Alouatta belzebul)

It lives in the southern Amazon from the Madeira River to the Atlantic coast.

The color of the coat is from black-brown to black, the paws and the tip of the tail are reddish.

5) Brown Howler (Alouatta guariba)

Inhabits atlantic coast Brazil.

The coat is black, brown or dark red; females are lighter than males.

6) Black Howler (Alouatta caraya)

It is found in southern Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina.

Males are completely black, females are olive-brown.

Lifestyle

Howler monkeys are active during the day. They spend almost all the time in the trees, and only extreme necessity makes them move on the ground. Their daily route is very short - no more than 400 meters, and the area of ​​​​the herd (they live in herds of 15-20 individuals) does not exceed 30 hectares.

diet

The main component of the diet of howler monkeys is leaves. tropical trees covered with dense foliage year-round, so they have no problems finding food.

With such an abundance of foliage, one can only wonder why other species of monkeys have not become leaf-eating. After all, most tropical primates do not consume leaves in such quantities as howler monkeys, and some do not eat them at all.

But the leaves have a very significant disadvantage- They are low in calories. In order to increase their energy return, howler monkeys have to be very selective. They look only for young leaves, which are a more valuable source of energy.

On leaves alone, howler monkeys can survive for several weeks, but if possible, they eat fruits and flowers.

Howler monkeys have to follow a strict energy saving regime, which is associated with their low-calorie diet. They do not waste energy in vain: more than half of the daytime animals sleep or just relax, and devote the rest of the time to food.

Howler monkeys demonstrate the division of labor between the sexes. The duty of males is to protect the herd from predators and settle disputes between relatives. With their loud and warlike cries, they claim the rights to fruit trees within the territory occupied by the herd. Females, meanwhile, devote themselves entirely to caring for their offspring.

Why are they roaring?

The cries of these monkeys are considered the loudest in the animal kingdom. They can be heard from 1 mile away. Charles Darwin hypothesized that in vertebrates, the loudest male is the one who demonstrates his strength and attracts the attention of the largest number of females. This assumption has been confirmed for some species of frogs, but for howler monkeys there is not yet sufficient evidence to confirm this.

According to another theory, a herd of howler monkeys claims rights to fruit trees with their cries. This assumption seems to be true, however, the evolutionary background of the growl requires further study. IN last years in Central and South America studies have been conducted on the lifestyle of howler monkeys that answer these questions.

Howler monkeys make their warlike cry by blowing air through the cavity in the enlarged hyoid in the throat. The laryngeal cartilage in males is much larger than in females. Sounds made by males different types, depend on the size of the cartilage. The male rufous howler has larger laryngeal cartilage than the Colombian howler. The cry of the first is like a deep martyr's groan, while the second resembles a roar.

All males of the herd perform a pre-dawn "choir singing" which is answered by the males of other herds. The territories occupied by herds of howler monkeys partially overlap with the territories of other herds. When males call in the morning, and also every time the herd moves to a new feeding area, they thereby transmit information about their location to neighboring herds.

At the meeting of two herds, an unimaginable din rises. All individuals, especially adult males, begin to roar, jump, run, and sometimes fight. Females from both herds scatter and sometimes get lost in the forest. Apparently, it is precisely in order to avoid unnecessary skirmishes between herds that males roar.

Howler monkeys have a hierarchy between different herds. It is based on fighting qualities and coordination of actions of adult males. By listening to the roar of the males of a strong herd, the weaker herd can avoid a collision with him and save his strength. But a strong herd also benefits, since its members do not have to protect fruit trees.

Thus, the purpose of the roar is to help the monkeys make the best use of their living space and not suffer from a shortage of food.

In contact with

howler monkey(Aloautta senikulus) is monkey with wide noses, belong to the family arachnids. This species of monkeys has gained fame as a natural alarm clock, its roar can be heard in the early morning at the same time. The look of howler monkeys is too good-natured, it is impossible to look at them without a smile.

Penetrating, almost human eyes, as if penetrating into the depths of the soul. It seems that the animal understands the interlocutor without a single word. They are suitable for home maintenance, but they feel slighted and often simply grieve. Better if howler monkey will live in a flock a full life, and not in a cage.

Features and habitat of the howler monkey

howler monkey- one of the largest monkeys in Brazil. She got her name from the heart-rending cry which can be heard for miles around. Depending on the habitat, wool can acquire a red, light or dark brown, black color.

There is no hair on the muzzle, the jaw is rather wide, pushed forward a little. The primate has impressive fangs that allow you to get coconuts and drink milk or juice.

The lower part of the muzzle is framed by a neat beard. Each paw has five tenacious claws. The end of the tail is bald due to its frequent use, combs and patterned patterns are found along the entire length.

Most of all they love to sit on a branch and play loud parts. Thus, plunging the listener into shock, and signaling to relatives about their territory.

The most numerous species howler monkey- This is Central American (lives in the north of South America and Mexico) and red (Guiana and Venezuela). The body length ranges from 40 to 70 cm, the tail is 50-75 cm long and weighs about 10 kg.

The entire body is covered with thick, shiny hair. The color may be reddish, sometimes turning into black. Males often have a beard, which they like to stroke, as if thinking. Females are slightly smaller than males.

Special howler monkey cry due to the presence of throat pouches. They collect saliva and air, when you inhale they mix, and when you exhale, you get a piercing roar. Something similar to natural resonators.

The nature and lifestyle of the howler monkey

howler monkey by nature a calm animal, active in the sunny time of the day. Their daily worries are to bypass the territory, and latently you can refresh yourself with delicious food. At night they fully sleep, but some males do not stop screaming at night. Primates live in family communities that number from 15 to 17 individuals.

Males howler monkeys have a beard

In the group there is always one dominant male and his deputy, they have several females at their disposal. The lady herself lets know about the readiness for intercourse. If the main male is not ready, then she switches to an assistant.

It is the roar of the males howler monkeys make it clear that this is their territory. Yet there is no clear division, often between the heads of groups there are battles. In such unequal fights, many males die.

Sometimes fights occur due to the fact that the female paid attention to the male from the neighboring group. Fights are very tough, and the winner always finishes off the victim.

Scientists have also traced a tempting relationship between the amount of sound and the size of the primate's genitals. If the animal bawls for a long time, then this only speaks of not very special abilities, like a male. And with a constant roar, he once again calls the female.

howler monkey food

Basic diet howler monkey- these are deciduous greens of trees, flowers, fruits, fruits, young buds and shoots. Sometimes you can see how the primate stuffs soil into its mouth.

By this he tries to neutralize the poisonous property of some plants. Ground minerals collect toxic substances and, without causing harm, are excreted from the body. Since these are vegetarians, and plant foods do not provide much energy, they do not travel long distances.

All the power is saved for everyday concerts. You can watch how they make micro holes in the tree trunk and suck out the juice, rich in substances (nutrients), vitamins and microelements.

Howler Monkey Reproduction and Lifespan

After mating, the female leads a slightly secluded lifestyle, she tries to protect herself as much as possible. Carries a fetus for 190 days, there are rarely twins.

Pictured is a baby howler monkey

Immediately after birth, the baby clings to the mother's fur and literally lives on it. The mature cub is still in no hurry to leave the parent and can accompany her from 18 to 24 months.

The female feeds the baby with breast milk, she is an excellent mother - caring and attentive. If the baby was absent for a short time, then the parent constantly calls to him in common.

When the cub reaches puberty, the mother resorts to aggression to drive it away. The sight is not pleasant, as the monkey is constantly striving to return, you can even see tears.

Often young males howler monkey are simply expelled from their home group so that there is no incest. It is also not uncommon for young animals to die in violent fights.

The life span of the black howler in natural conditions reaches from 15 to 20 years. In captivity, there were cases when the primate lived to three dozen. Each howler monkey photo attracts with its magnetism. It is the intelligent look of almost human eyes. Facial expressions, movements, reaction to words and sounds - all this only proves once again that they are our distant relatives.

Primates express their favorable attitude and love by stroking their long tail. They use it in courtship and as a care for a mischievous baby. A delightful sight is a row of multi-colored howler monkeys, with open mouths, giving a morning concert.

Howler monkeys (Aloautta) - a genus that includes representatives of broad-nosed monkeys belonging to the large family of arachnids (Atelidae). Such bright and unusual representatives of the class Mammals and the order Primates are capable of making very loud roaring sounds, which is the reason for their original name.

Description of howler monkeys

stocky and large mammal the animal has an extraordinary appearance and a loud voice, thanks to which it has earned very great popularity among people. The genus Revuna now includes fifteen species and several subspecies that have several differences. appearance.

Appearance

The body of the howler monkey is quite large in size. The body length of adult males reaches 62-63 cm, and females - in the range of 46-60 cm. The tail is grasping and incredibly strong, and the total length of the tail of an adult male is approximately 60-70 cm. In females, the tail has an equally impressive length, which varies within 55-66 cm. An adult animal has a very impressive weight: the weight of a male is 5-10 kg, and a mature female is in the range of 3-8 kg.

A feature of the appearance of the howler is the presence of noticeably close nostrils and large thirty-six teeth, which give the mammal some fearlessness and even ferocity. The jaw of the primate is quite wide and slightly extended forward, and the impressive fangs allow such an animal to quickly get coconuts for themselves, and also to easily drink milk from them.

This is interesting! The sexually mature male howler has a long beard, characteristically distinguishing him from the female, and areas completely devoid of hair are represented by ears, face, palms and feet.

The most popular Colombian howler monkeys are usually black in color, and on the sides of the body there is a golden-red long hair, reminiscent of a noble mantle. The end of the grasping tail is distinguished by the presence of a characteristic bald patch, which is used by the howler monkey to capture and hold food. Along the entire length of the tail there are patterned patterns or peculiar combs. Each paw of a mammal is equipped with five tenacious claws.

Character and lifestyle

Howler is one of the most major Brazil. Such a primate is a magnificent acrobat, and the incredibly mobile and well-developed tail part is regularly used by the monkey as a fifth paw. By nature, all howler monkeys are calm mammals that remain active only during daylight hours.

The list of usual daily chores includes walking around their own territory, as well as feeding. Only with the onset of the dark time of the day do the howler monkeys prefer to go to bed, but some males do not stop screaming loudly and intimidatingly even at night.

This is interesting! Sometimes the cause of bloody fights is the signs of attention that the female bestows on the opposite sex belonging to the neighboring group, and the fights between males are extremely tough, while the winner necessarily finishes off his victim.

Primates in the conditions wildlife united in a kind of family communities, which include, as a rule, from fifteen to seventeen individuals. Within each such group there is always a dominant male, as well as his deputy and several females.

It is with a loud roar that the howler male announces the boundaries of his entire territory, but the lack of a clear division of the site often causes battles between several groups. It is in such fights that many males die.

How long do howler monkeys live

The average life expectancy of the loudest and most impressive monkey is about twenty years.

Range, habitats

The little-studied red-handed howler (Alouatta belzebul) is endemic to Brazil, found in the southeastern part of the Amazon and in the coastal forest zones between Sergipe and Rio Grande do Norte. The black howler (Alouatta caraya) is found in the northeastern part of Argentina, in the eastern territories of Bolivia, in the east and south of Brazil or in Paraguay, and along with the brown howler, this species is categorized as the southernmost of all representatives of the numerous genus.

The Guyana howler (Alouatta macconnelli), relatively recently identified as a separate species, is found throughout the Guiana Highlands, north of the Amazon, east of the Rio Negro and south of the Orinoco, and its habitat may also extend further south from the Amazon, in the areas between the Madeira and Tapajos rivers.

This is interesting! The Coiba howler (Alouatta coibensis) is represented by two subspecies and is endemic to Panama, while the Brown howler (Alouatta guariba) lives mainly in forest areas in the southeastern part of Brazil, and also found in the northeast of Argentina.

Representatives of the species Amazonian howler (Alouatta nigerrima) some time ago were considered a subspecies of the red-handed howler. They live in territories belonging to central Brazil. The Bolivian Howler (Alouatta sara) lives in northern and central Bolivia, up to the borders with Peru and Brazil. The Central American Howler (Alouatta pigra) is found in the rainforest zones of Belize, Mexico and Guatemala. Red, or red howler (Alouatta seniculus) is a very typical inhabitant of territories stretching from the Amazon to Colombia, from central Bolivia to Ecuador.

Diet of howler monkeys

The standard diet of the red howler is represented by peanuts, tree foliage, various seeds, numerous fruits and flowers. The digestive tract of such a large primate is very well adapted to the digestion of fairly coarse food of plant origin.

It is quite long and developed, and also contains a certain amount of special bacteria that help digest solid food. Sometimes insects are included in the diet of howler monkeys.