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© Sedgwick County Zoo, credit: David Maneth

Squirrel Monkey

Saimiri sciureus

*This animal is not on exhibit.

Physical Characteristics

  • The fur is short and dense. The face is white, the ears, throat, head, back and legs are yellow to gray-green and the underparts are yellow to white.
  • Size of average adult
    • length: body = 9 - 15 inches, tail = 14 - 19 inches
    • weight: 1 - 3 pounds
  • Approximate life span is 21 years.

Diet

  • Wild: fruit, insects, nuts, berries and leaves

Behavior

  • Active during the day
  • Live in large social groups of 10 - 50 with several adult males, sub-groups have separate hierarchies
  • Arboreal
  • Reproduction
    • sexual maturity: 3 - 5 years
    • gestation: 152 - 172 days
    • young are weaned at 5 - 10 months and are independent at one year

Environmental/Global

  • Habitat: tropical rainforests, mangrove forests, swamps, river forests and dry forests
  • Distribution: South America, east of the Andes from Columbia and northern Peru to northeastern Brazil
  • Status: CITES Appendix I
    • deforestation
    • insecticides
    • pet trade

 
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