Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri oerstedii) are the smallest of the four primates that can be found in Costa Rica. They live exclusively in the southwest Pacific region. Often seen in a troop, the tiny monkeys travel quickly in a single file line, following the same route from branch to branch and tree to tree. This one, about to leap after the monkey before it, paused long enough to get its picture near the road leading into Carate.
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Central American Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) are found mostly in Costa Rica’s protected areas of primary rain forest. Their arms are longer than their legs, and they have no thumbs on their hands, which makes it possible for them to brachiate, or swing branch to branch with only their arms. They have an incredibly strong prehensile tail with a palm-like pad on the end. When these primates maneuver through the forest canopy looking for ripe fruit, they often get all five limbs in action, and truly look like spiders in a web of branches.
This Central American Spider Monkey demonstrates its full arachnid-like range, using arms, legs, and tail to travel through among the slender branches of the rainforest canopy.
All media is copyright costaricawildlife.net, 2013.
There are four types of monkeys that live in Costa Rica. The Capuchin, or White-Faced, Monkey can be found all over the county, but I photographed this one from a boat while visiting the Pacific coast.
All media is copyright costaricawildlife.net, 2013.
