The supreme acrobat of
the Costa Rican jungle is the spider monkey. The long, slender,
spider-like limbs of these animals earned them their name. It is
the prehensile tail of the spider monkey, however, that sets it
apart from the other primates found in Costa Rica. In fact, spider
monkeys can dangle from their tail alone and are also able to pick
up items with their tails. This specialized tail is longer than the
combined length of the spider monkey's head and body and the
underside of tail is ridged, much like a human fingerprint, for
added grip. Often, spider monkeys will use their tails when
foraging for fruits in the forest canopy to help them reach items on
nearby branches.
photo M. Noonan
When feeding, spider
monkeys generally tend to swallow seeds whole. This therefore
allows the spider monkey to be a vital seed disperser for a variety
of plant species. So, how do you find a spider monkey in the
forest? Generally, they find you first! In many cases, spider
monkeys will "bark" when they feel threatened and often throw
branches, jump up and down, and shake tree limbs when approached by
unaware humans.