White-faced saki monkey
Latin Name
Pithecia pithecia
Class
Mammals
Order
Primates
Description
Pithecia pithecia
Class
Mammals
Order
Primates
Description
These small monkeys (weighing about three pounds) are sexually dimorphic. Males have black fur that surrounds their buff-furred faces. Females are lighter, with bright strips of hair from eyes to chins. Their thick tails are non-prehensile, meaning that they don't grip like the tails of, say, howler monkeys. Both sexes have flat, wide noses.
Range
Status
Habitat
Niche
Life History
Special Adaptations
White-faced saki monkeys inhabit Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.
Status
While not endangered, the white-faced saki monkey is considered vulnerable. They are hunted for food, captured for the pet trade and suffer from habitat destruction. Lincoln Park Zoo participates in the White-Faced Saki Species Survival Plan®, a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Habitat
This species inhabits tropical rain forests. They rarely come to the ground.
Niche
While they are primarily frugivores (fruit eaters), white-faced saki monkeys will eat flowers, birds, bats and small mammals. These diurnal monkey are shy by nature and extremely quick, leaping between branches in a manner that has earned them the nickname "flying monkeys." Small families of parents and offspring are most common. They stay in touch with chirping sounds.
Life History
Single offspring are most common. Newborns stay with the mother for a few weeks, before the father or siblings begin to pitch in. By six months, saki monkeys are independent.
Special Adaptations
While bird-like chirps are the most common form of communication, aggression is displayed by body-shaking, arched posture and loud growls.
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