Black Howling Monkey

The Black Howling Monkey is among the largest monkeys in the Americas and lives in stable groups of one or two adult males, a few breeding females and their offspring. Groups of bachelor males also exist and will fight other males for access to breeding females. The Black Howling Monkey is characterized by its long, silky black fur with some brown on the shoulders, cheeks, and back. It has a slight crest on the crown and males have a white scrotum.

This species’ tail is prehensile and acts like a fifth limb to grab branches and stabilize its body. A territory is usually up to 25 hectares, and this species is most active in the morning and evening. Because it consumes leaves and fruit for the bulk of its diet, the Black Howling Monkey has large salivary glands which help it break down tannins in the leaves as well as sharp molars to help tear through leaves.

The Black Howling Monkey earns its name for the incredibly loud elaborate calls or howls the males emit, that can be heard for several kilometers away. This monkey will howl loudly to frighten predators and to defend its territory. The female gives birth to one infant every two years. Both sexes are blonde until approximately 18 months when males turn black.