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Ateles geoffroyi It is the scientific name of the spider monkey, a species of wild primate that is distributed from southern Mexico to northern Colombia. Its presence in the natural environment has been strongly threatened by the use that humans have made of this species, for different purposes, and of its habitats. The spider monkey's vulnerability to these pressures, which are continuous and increasing, is also increased by the effects of climate change. Consequently, the recession that their populations have suffered in recent years is palpable.
If you want to find out if the spider monkey is in danger of extinction Or not, keep reading this Green Ecologist article, because in addition to knowing where the spider monkey lives, what its conservation status is and what its threats are, you will be able to discover the basis of some measures and strategies to know how to help the spider monkey.
Is the spider monkey in danger of extinction or not?
Although the presence of the spider monkey is currently known to be restricted to Central America and the northern part of South America, the destruction of its habitat on a large scale has resulted in the original distribution patterns of this species being truly unknown.
Within its current distribution range, it is interesting to note that in El Salvador this species is limited to protected natural areas, such as Normandy in the Department of Usultán. This highlights the importance that protected areas can play in spider monkey conservation, provided they are well managed.
Its presence is traditionally arboreal, according to what the spider monkey eats (vegetable species, mainly fruits) and stands out in rainforests or humid, dry, evergreen, deciduous, tropical and subtropical forests. As can be seen, it has a wide range of habitats, which it uses in a non-uniform way, according to the availability of resources necessary to satisfy its own needs and according to the time of year.
Despite such a variety of habitats, these primates are very vulnerable to the presence of humans and the disturbances that can be triggered by anthropic activities, which is reflected in the decline of their populationsThe loss, fragmentation and degradation of these territories and the natural resources they present are of particular relevance.
For all these reasons, the state of spider monkey conservation is considered as in Danger of extinction by IUCN.
Why the spider monkey is in danger of extinction
These are the main reasons for why is the spider monkey endangered or Ateles geoffroyi:
- Changes in land use are one of the main threats facing the spider monkey, led by deforestation and defaunation for extensive cattle ranching, agriculture and timber harvesting. This causes the fragmentation of the forests and, therefore, reduces their area of distribution, being disturbed and diminished the size and structure of their populations.
- Hunting and capturing is another of the great pressures that this species supports, since it is used as food, as a pet and also for medicines and the sale of derived products.
- In addition, forest fires stand out as another of the spider monkey threats, which modifies and reduces, along with changes in land use, its habitat.
- Parallel to these pressures, the conditions derived from the climate emergency situation that we are currently facing stand out. Along these lines, there are studies that link an intensification of El Niño events, as a result of global warming, with a decrease in primate populations.
What can we do to prevent the spider monkey from becoming extinct
The spider monkey conservation It is essential to maintain the plant composition of the territories it inhabits, as it acts as a powerful seed disperser. This is one more reason that makes it necessary to propose and highlight measures that respond to the doubt of how to help the spider monkey, such as:
- Develop conservation strategies to protect their habitats.
- Declare the territories where their habitats are found as protected natural areas.
- Establish greater restrictions and controls on international trade in this species.
- Reforest to restore and recover their habitat.
- Launch education and awareness programs to sensitize the population. Here you can read about Why it is important to protect endangered animals.
Now that you've learned about what the spider monkey is in danger of extinctionWe recommend that you discover the animals that are in the same situation in different countries, the spider monkey being one of them in each of these countries.
- 25 animals in danger of extinction in Mexico.
- 22 animals in danger of extinction in Venezuela.
- 20 endangered animals of Peru.
- 16 animals in danger of extinction in Colombia.
If you want to read more articles similar to Is the spider monkey in danger of extinction?We recommend that you enter our category of Endangered Animals.
