Black Howler Monkey
Alouatta caraya

Where do I Live?  Found through the forests of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.  Found in tropical forest where rains are nearly constant throughout the year, and tropical deciduous forest spotted with savanna like openings where there is a marked wet, warm season and a dry, cool season.

What do I eat?  Black Howlers rarely come down from the trees as their food source is entirely in the canopy.  They are folivorous - they eat mostly leaves but also fruits, buds and flowers and their molar teeth are particularly adapted for chewing the leaves, through shearing.

What dangers do I face in the wild?     These Howler monkeys need forests with diverse species of plant life for food, much of their habitat is disappearing due to destruction of these forest types.  This species is also threatened by habitat loss due to agricultural development for farm and cattle ranching.

About me...  Males average 6.7 kg with females lighter at 4.4 kg. Male body size ranges from 0.5-0.7 metres with tails of similar length to their body. Females' are slightly smaller with tails slightly longer than their bodies.  Males usually have black hair, which gives the species the common name of Black Howler monkey. Females however have more yellow-brown or olive coloured hair.   1 young is generally born, after a gestation period of 187 days .   Females care for their young for about 12 months then female offspring remain in their natal group,  and therefore stay with their mother long after they are independent.

Social:   Most howler monkeys live in large social groups generally made up of 5-8 family members, though they have been observed in the wild in groups up to 19 individuals. The groups have roughly equal sex ratio but may tend to have more females than males. A. caraya are territorial but seem to only defend the immediate area where they are at the time, and territories often overlap.