Ursine Howler—One of the Loudest Mammals on Earth
This is the Ursine howler (Alouatta arctoidea)! Ursine howler monkeys are an arboreal primate species, meaning they spend most of their time living amongst the trees. On the occasion that they venture to the ground, these monkeys get around with quadrupedal walking and running. Quadrupedalism is a method of movement in which animals who have four limbs use them to bear weight and move around. Additionally, these animals may perform vertical descents, a locomotive form of movement in which the monkeys will face the ground and walk quadrupedally down a tree, supported by their tails for control and speed. This technique also allows monkeys to cross horizontal and vertical tree gaps.
Gap-crossing typically occurs in the upper canopy of many forest types. In the context of habitat fragmentation, because these animals are arboreal, gap and road-crossing behaviors are becoming more common. Because these monkeys have long tails capable of gripping branches, it is easy for them to stretch both their bodies and tails across two disconnected trees to create a bridge. For example, for a mother to get her infant across this gap, she may wrap her tail around one branch, hold another by a foot, and extend her arm to the tree she is attempting to travel to. In this position, the mother's body can support the safe journey for her offspring. Because they have a strong ability to disperse, this technique can be especially useful when also escaping from intruders or potential predators. Learn more: https://neprimateconservancy.org/ursi...