Personal Information
The Zoo has three spider monkeys. Our male spider monkey, Spiderman, was born in 1974. The two females are named Sally, born 1972, and Lucy, born 1975. All three monkeys are past breeding. They are called spider monkeys because of their slender limbs and the way they move through the trees using their prehensile tail.
Status in the Wild
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status: Endangered. Also known as the Central American spider monkey, this mammal is a very common monkey. In fact, there are places in the world where the forests have up to 200 spider monkeys per square mile. The Seneca Park Zoo takes part in conservation efforts of the spider monkey as part of the Species Survival Plan.
Habitat
In southern Mexico and Central America, the spider monkey inhabits upper levels of the canopy of tropical rainforests.
Diet
Black-handed spider monkeys eat 90% fruit and plants, including young leaves, flowers, seeds, roots and bark. They also eat insects and larvae.