Interesting Facts About the Common Squirrel Monkey

The squirrel monkey resides in the Amazon rainforest of South America and in tropical lowlands throughout Central America. Researchers acknowledge five subspecies of common squirrel monkey today, divided into two groups: Saimiri Sciureus and Saimiri Boliviensis. Squirrel monkeys are greyish in color, with yellow or orange legs and white faces. The tails are longer than their bodies and are tipped with black. Common squirrel monkeys exhibit some unusual and interesting behaviors and preferences within their primate society.

  1. Sex Appeal

    • The breeding season of the common squirrel monkey consists of a two- to four-month period during the dry season when food is most plentiful. Just before the breeding season begins, the male gains a massive amount of weight, ballooning to nearly twice his normal size. This behavior is called a fatting response.The females are apparently attracted to the largest males, with the fattest one or two getting most of the females' affection during breeding season.

    Marking Territory

    • Following the instincts of most animal species, common squirrel monkeys like to mark their territory. Squirrel monkeys take the usual method of marking a tree or patch of ground to another level, though, urinating on their hands and feet before tracking the distinctive odor behind them.

    Smelly Tails

    • Squirrel monkeys live in groups of between 20 and 200 males, females and young. Females bond closely with each other and care for the young, while males form their own subgroups for most of the year, approaching the females primarily to breed. The social group sleeps together at night, splitting up to forage for food during the day. Squirrel monkeys use their hands to smear food along their long tails. Researchers think the smell from the food-smeared tails may help the monkeys recognize each other by scent in the dense forest environment.

    Showing Off

    • Squirrel monkeys are not shy when it comes to private parts. When a squirrel monkey wants to let others know who's boss, he stands tall and proudly displays his genitals to the rest of the group. During mating season, several males may chase a female, throw her to the ground and inspect her genitalia to determine receptiveness.

    Sustainability

    • Squirrel monkeys eat fruit, insects and small vertebrates like frogs and bats. Squirrel monkeys feed on various types of fruit throughout the day. The monkeys wander the forest as the fruit is digested, leaving undigested seeds behind in their feces approximately two to three hours after eating the fruit. The discarded seeds sprout into new vegetation, replenishing the forest.