Colombian Red Howler Monkey
Species Data
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Atelidae
Scientific Name: Alouatta seniculus
IUCN Red List status: Vulnerable
Description
The Colombian Red Howler is a New World monkey present across much of northeast South America to the west of the Andes in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. They are named both for their eye-catching red colouration and the howling groan calls that they communicate with.
Behaviour
Colombian Red Howler Monkey groups usually range from 2-13 individuals with one or occasionally two dominant males in each group and the rest being juveniles. Adult males will often be solitary if they are not dominant within a group. Their diet consists mostly of leaves, but they also consume fruit, buds, flowers and termitaria.
Habitat
The Colombian Red Howler can be found across a variety of environments in northeast South America, including dry deciduous forest, lowland rainforest, cloud forest, mangrove swamps and savannah. The species has been documented to live as high as 3200m above sea level, but is more commonly found in lowland areas.
Threats and Conservation
Due to its wide distribution, the IUCN classified the Colombian Red Howler as being of Least Concern for the Red List. One of the three subspecies (Alouatta seniculus insulanus) has been stated to likely be threatened due to its small range, but this has not yet been fully investigated. The species suffers from poaching across its range, but is relatively resilient due to a high reproductive rate.
