Rainforest Expeditions (est. 1989) operates three award winning Amazon lodges: Posada Amazonas, Refugio Amazonas, and Tambopata Research Center. Each Amazon lodge provides access to a unique set of ecotourism experiences in the jungle of southeastern Peru.
Our packages include activities comprised of aspects of nature and culture of the Amazon rainforest. We offer a variety of special interest activities, tours and expeditions like Soft Adventure, Birdwatching expeditions, Family and more...
Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus)
Photo: Murray Cooper
Name: Red Howler Monkey
Local name: Cotomono, Mono Aullador
Scientific name: Alouatta seniculus
Characteristics:
1. Weight 10 Kg. Size 90 cms.
2. Large and robust, with a large head and dark reddish or orangish fur.
3. Prehensile tail without hair on the bottom side, which is used for grasping during locomotion and feeding as a fifth limb.
4. The hyoid bone is modified for the production of the howling calls. This bone is larger in males than in females.
5. Sound can be heard for more than 5 km!
Habitat and behavior: Diurnal, very slow movements. Use mid and upper levels of the forest. Can be found in troops of 5 to 20 individuals, although generally in groups of 8 to 10.
Diet: Mainly leaves, fruits and flowers. They have bacteria in their stomach to digest the cellulose from the leaves. As a consequence a third part of its body volume is intestines. In the neotropic it is the only primate that is totally vegetarian. Unlike other monkeys, howlers are relatively slow-moving (slow metabolism) due to a diet poor in sugar and proteins (some fruits, flowers, but mainly leaves). Over half their waking hours are spent resting, because of their low levels of energy and slow digestion. That is why they are an easy target for parasitic flies (botflies) that manage to lay their eggs in the howlers flesh.
Reproduction habits: Polygamous. Howlers give birth to only one offspring (rarely twins) every one or two years. Females take care of it. A male that joins a new group can kill present youngsters.
Curiosities: A monkey renowned for the loud call the males make which allows communication between neighbouring groups telling them the distance among them. They do not keep an exclusive territory. This helps them save energy by avoiding having to patrol a territory and conflicting with neighbours. Howling occurs in the mornings and each time the troop moves to a new feeding site. Sightings of two howler monkey groups coming too close have resulted in terrible fights. They produce the roaring by passing air through a cavity of the hioides. This is an enlarged bone in the throat of the howlers, working as a resonance box making it one of the loudest sounds made by any animal. They can descend to the ground to eat clay, drink and cross rivers. Red howlers are good swimmers.
