Colombian woolly monkey

Colombian woolly monkey ( Lagothrix lugens )

The Colombian woolly monkey ( Lagothrix lugens ) is a living primate in South America from the family of peg-tail monkeys ( Atelidae ). He is one of four species in the woolly monkeys are divided into younger classifications.

Colombian woolly monkeys are colored brown to grayish black, the head, hands and feet, and tail are black. The coat is dense and woolly. The head is large and rounded, the ears are small. The animals reach a body length 51-69 inches, the tail is 60 to 72 inches longer than the body. He is trained as muscular and prehensile tail.

These animals are found only in Colombia and possibly in adjacent areas of Venezuela. Their habitat are mountain forests up to 3000 meters above sea level.

Little is known about the way of life, she probably agrees with that of the other woolly monkeys match. Consequently, they are diurnal and arboreal, climbing slowly and skillfully through the branches. They live in mixed groups 14-33 animals. Their main food is fruit, next they take leaves, seeds, and occasionally insects to him.

Main threat to this species is the destruction of their habitat and hunting for their meat. The IUCN expects that the total population in the next 45 years will fall by 80 %, and lists the type therefore as " threatened with extinction " ( critically endangered ).

In addition to the nominate subspecies (L. lugens lugens ) are Since 2013 two other subspecies distinguished (L. lugens defleri and L. lugens sapiens), which differ mainly in their coat color and occur in mutually isolated mountain forests.