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  4. Squirrel monkey

Squirrel monkey

Saimiri boliviensis

The squirrel monkey’s name comes from its unique face. It lives in the trees in the South American rainforest and sometimes eats meat. Squirrel monkeys form large groups of 40-50 monkeys but sometimes up to as much as a couple hundred.

The squirrel monkeys often pee on their hands and feet and rub their tails in fruit and other food. That gives the group a special scent enabling its members to recognise each other easily. They communicate with sounds which can be so high-pitched that we humans
cannot hear them.

At Odense ZOO, we give the monkeys food boxes which are difficult to open. Having to
work for their food stimulates their instincts.

Food
Spiders, insects, eggs, small birds, fruit, seeds and flowers
Originates
South America
Life expectancy
15-20 years
IUCN status
Least concern (LC)