Even though everyone recognizes a howler monkey by its picture, or is aware of its amazing howl. We really know very little about these unique creatures. That’s why I have gathered some facts about howler monkeys in Costa Rica!
There are many species of Howler Monkeys living in the tropical areas of Latin America. A few of the places where see wildlife and where you can find them while traveling in Central America is the northern area of Guatemala, in fact, you can see and listen to them while touring Tikal National Park. The Nicoya Peninsula and Corcovado National Park of Costa Rica are also hosts of a lot of Howler Monkeys, a great place for wildlife viewing.
Following are some fast facts to help you connect better with it. And if you’re visiting to see some of the animals in Costa Rica, chances are, you will not only connect with it through paper, but up close and personal!
15 Facts About Howler Monkeys
1. The different species of Howler monkeys are known for being the largest of all new world monkeys.
2. Howler monkeys are native to the forests and jungles from South and Central America. They prefer warm and humid climates.
3. They can live in altitudes as high as 2,500 meters above sea level, which usually coincides with the climate that they prefer.
4. These monkeys can grow as long as 92 cm, which is without counting their long tails, which can grow to an equal size.
5. Howler monkeys have prehensile tails, meaning they can hold, grasp, and manipulate items with it. This allows them to jump from tree to tree safely and fast. This is an aspect that distinguishes old world from new world monkeys.
6. They also have a relatively long lifespan. There have been some individuals who have been known to live up to 20 years.
7. Aside from being large animals, they can also be quite heavy. Males of the black howler money kind can be as heavy as 25 pounds with females usually being around 20 pounds.
8. These are the loudest animals in the world. Their incredible howl can be heard up to three miles away through the jungle.
9. The howls usually come at sunrise and sunset. They also tend to howl when there are people nearby, rain, thunders, and when airplanes fly by. You can also listen to a ton of howling when two troops meet.
10. By the time they turn 12 weeks old, a young howler monkey is ready to leave his troop. This is the same for males and females.
11. Female howlers usually become sexually active by the time they turn 3 years old.
12. The howler monkey troops are not big, they can range in size from 10-20 individuals, with only 1 to 3 males per group.
13. Howlers are picky foragers. They only eat certain parts of certain trees and only a certain amount. They have also been known to eat eggs and chicken of local farmers.
14. The American continent is home to as much as 15 species of howler monkeys.
15. There is no specific mating season, they will mate all year long as they feel safe and like they have enough food.
Pro Tip: They tend to be relaxed and not to go down to earth, but if they do leave their branches, I advise you not to poke them too much! They can get aggressive if you do, and with that size, they can hurt you.
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