Despite the fact that in Costa Rica there are a wide variety of animals, this time we will talk about one that you probably know that you can find on your next trip to Costa Rica.
Here are some of the things you didn’t know about the Congo monkey or howler monkey:
- Their scientific name is Alouatta palliata.
- It measures between 70 and 140 cm.
- Their weight is approximately 4 to 10 kg.
- It has silky and shiny fur from brown to reddish brown, with a yellowish tone on the sides.
- They manage to emit intense howls, which are heard up to 3 km away, usually at sunrise and sunset. They fulfill the communication function, but they also serve to defend their territory.
- The key to vocalization is the hyoid bone, which is located in the throat.
- You can find it from Mexico to Ecuador.
- Their main habitat is the tropical forest.
- They live in groups of approximately 10 to 20 individuals.
- In each group, there is a dominant male who claims the right to copulate with the females.
- They eat seeds, leaves and fruits; such as: mango, papaya, young leaves.
- They are among the biggest monkeys in the tropical forests of Latin America.
- They are arboreal; that is, they spend most of their time in the trees and rarely leave them to descend to the ground.
- Normally, females have their first calf at 2 years of age. Its gestation period lasts 6 months.
- Their time is divided more or less like this: rest 65%, mobilization 15% and feeding 20%.
You will be able to admire these incredible and interesting animals on our ATV and horseback riding tours. Do not wait more!