Wild Side of Costa Rica
Monkey Business ! | |
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By |
I think we have to admit that one of the things that attracts all of us about this country is its natural beauty. Apart from those of us who now call it home, many tourists flock here especially for the Eco-tourism, and it is for that reason this new column has been born. Also in part that wildlife has always been a personal interest of mine, and I'm having a great time doing the research. |
I have found them to be in abundance at the coastal areas !
For this first segment I found it necessary to write about the monkeys we find here. Not because they are fellow primates, but I have found them to be in abundance at the coastal areas and feel certain that people tend to see monkeys if they see any animals at all.
Though many times we use the term monkey generally, in fact the name is more specifically used for American or Eurasian monkey family, or the marmoset family. American monkeys are characteristic of 32 teeth, while their Eurasian counterparts have 36. They generally have prehensile tails, and live off of leaves, fruits, and insects.
The most intelligent is the Capuchin !
Costa Rica is in fact known to be home to four members of the American monkey family (or family Cebidae) including the Howler monkey (known as the mono congo in Spanish), the Spider monkey (mono colorado), Capuchin (carablanca) and Squirrel monkey (titi or mono ardilla).
Reputedly the most intelligent of this group is the Capuchin, easy to recognize due to the cowl-like white head. They travel in groups and are fun to watch as they fussily scrounge for food. They can be found throughout the lowlands of the Caribbean and pacific coasts, below 1500 meters, and can be found with ease at Manuel Antonio National Park, and in Santa Rosa.
Before you can see black Howlers, you will hear them!
Before you can even see the black Howlers, you will most likely hear them calling, as these loudest of the group can be heard from up to 3 kilometers away. They are the largest and most common monkeys to be found here, weighing up to 10 pounds, and can be seen throughout the lowlands and mountain forests.
His copper colored fur and acrobatics make it easy to recognize the versatile Spider monkey. Their long limbs and especially long tails (as long as their head and body combined) make them fantastic jumpers. I've unfortunately not seen this but have heard it is an unforgettable site to experience. Though once the most abundant, they have suffered great losses due to encroachment by humans on their territory. They are very solitary by day and males and often keep apart from the females and young, but at night tend to bunch up for sleeping.
The tiny Squirrel monkey !
Last, and apparently least in both size and number, is the tiny Squirrel monkey. Originating in fact from South America, it is only found in the southern pacific lowlands (Corcovado and Manuel Antonio Parks) commonly in bands of 30 individuals. This monkey will eat anything, but competes for food with the larger Capuchin and, invariably, looses. This little brother is an endangered species, and being the only one of the four monkeys I haven't had an opportunity to see, I hope we all have the chance to do so on our upcoming Adventure tour.
I hope you enjoy this series as much as I am, and I wish you all luck on your wildlife experiences while in Costa Rica.
© El Residente ARCR Administración S.A. San José, Costa Rica N.B. Like all information on the internet, this article may currently be incorrect or out of date.
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