During your tour in Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park you should be aware of the approach of a group of spider monkeys. It is amazing to see them so close and playing with each other! But when they are afraid or feel threatened by the visit of humans, they jump and may even throw branches.
The spider monkey is a medium-small primate that lives mainly in the humid forests of Mexico to Colombia. We find them in the park area, generally, walking among the treetops.
Currently, it is a species in danger of extinction due to the reduction of its habitat due to deforestation.
Monkeys, birds and other animals that eat fruit play an important ecological role, disperse seeds and thanks to this fruit trees can reproduce.
Their food is mainly based on fruits, leaves, flowers, nuts, seeds and sometimes arachnid insects and even eggs. But this depends on where they live.
Our team, FLAAR Mesoamerica, has made different field trips around the jungles of Guatemala, where we have been able to know the favorite fruits of spider monkeys.
There is something that surprises us! Many fruits that they like are also consumed by humans. For example, cocoa, the fruit of which the chocolate is made, yellow zapote, which is used to make jams, sapodilla used in the manufacture of chewing gum and wild tamarind from which we can make natural soft drinks.
When observing the spider monkeys in different ecosystems we have noticed that none eats the same, since each ecosystem is composed of different plants and types of forest that makes them unique, so their feeding is varied. The diet of the spider monkey in the El Mirador protected area, for example, is different from the one that inhabits Parque Tikal or Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park.
Learn more about the spider monkey by downloading our Photo essay “The spider monkey. Vol. 1” where you will find photographs and relevant information about this species of mammal.
Also to observe the species in one of its natural habitats you can visit Yaxha-Nakum-Naranjo National Park in Petén, where you will also enjoy the nature and archaeological sites. Find more information at: Visit Yaxha – www.visityaxha.com and Yaxha Destination – www.destinationyaxha.com
If you want to learn about other species browse our site www.maya-ethnozoology.org and find out about the animal world species that live in Mesoamerica. Do not forget to follow us on our social networks to find out about the next news and enjoy amazing photographs Facebook FLAAR Mesoamerica or Instagram like @flaarmesoamerica.