Bald Uakari Facts!
Bald and red-faced, these striking monkeys inhabit South America. They have rather short tails and broad, flat faces. Only their faces are hairless, while the rest of their bodies are covered with thick fur.
Animals in some parts of the Amazon have a risk of contracting malaria. Since, for uakaris, paleness of the face is a sign that they may have contracted this disease, the paler ones are not considered suitable mates. Brighter faced uakaris are seen as healthy and immune to malaria, and are therefore chosen as suitable mates. The redder the monkey, the better its chances of attracting a mate.
Bald uakaris are arboreal (tree-dwelling) animals, only coming down to the ground during the dry season for food. During the rainy season, the rainforest floods and the water rises to great levels, so the animals are safer up in the trees.
Bald uakari populations have decreased greatly over the years. There are four known subspecies, and they are all categorized as Vulnerable. This is mostly due to habitat destruction and hunting.
Bald Uakari Monkeys are featured in these following books:
25 Strangest Animals in the World!
25 Awesome Apes & Monkeys
Bald Uakari Facts !
New World Monkey
Alternative names: Cacajao calvus, Bald-headed Uakari, Uakari, Red uakari, Red-and-white uakari
Where in the world? Brazil and Peru
Habitat: Flooded forests or forests near rivers
Diet: Seeds, Flowers, insects, insect larvae, eggs and leaves
Size: 17.3 to 18 inches long
Weight: 6.1 to 7.6 pounds
Average lifespan: Up to 30 years
Conservation status: Vulnerable
The bald uakari gets its name from its bald head – a contrast to the long, shaggy coat that covers the length of its body. The redder the face of a bald uakari, the healthier it is deemed to be and therefore more fit for breeding. On the other hand, bald uakaris with pale faces are more likely to have contracted malaria which is common in the species, and are therefore, not chosen as breeding partners.
Bald uakaris spend most of their time up in the trees, with their daily activities made up of looking for food, travelling, resting and feeding. They can travel up to 4.8 kilometers per day in groups.
They are currently listed as vulnerable to extinction. This is because the species has declined at least 30% in the past 30 years. They are suffering from habitat loss due to logging and are preyed upon by harpy eagles, ocelots, snakes, as well as humans.
Taken from IP Factly’s 25 Awesome Apes & Monkeys
YouTube video playlist
Details of the videos featured are underneath.
The Playlist:
- TRAVEL PERU: Uakari monkeys on the Amazon by BadLatitudeTV
- Mammals of the World: Red Uakari by cre8ivmind
- Uakari monkeys by Everett Sinding
- CBC The Nature of Things.Uakari-Secrets of the Red Monkey.20100218.HDTV.XviD.Ekolb2.avi by Ashokaline
