Spider monkeys are one of the smallest primates in the world. They may be small but they are as energetic as someone on a sugar high.

The spider monkeys are known by many names. They are scientifically known as Ateles Hybraius or trapeze artists of the animal world. This is because have an ability to swing branch to branch quickly and quietly.

Spider monkeys have evolved. New world monkeys like spider monkey are more primitive than old world monkeys. Their brains are more complex. Their thumbs are opposable are their nostrils are further apart. They have a slender body with long limbs and narrow hands.

Spider monkeys are found all over the world. They are normally located in Central America, Africa, Mexico and South America. They live in trees and stay in groups. These groups are called troops.

Fruit is the main food spider monkeys eat. Their diets are made up of 90% fruit. They also eat nuts, seeds and eggs. Spider monkeys collect their food by finding things on the ground such as berries and nuts.

There are so many spider monkey species. There are Hooded spider monkey, White front spider monkey, Yucatan spider monkey and many more. Spider monkeys have an ability to swing from tree to tree better than other species of primates.

Spider monkeys have certain predators in the forest. Some of the known predators to spider monkeys are Jaguars, Pumas, Ocelots and large snakes. There was also a case when an eagle ate a spider monkey. The spider monkey protects it self by using roars, grunts and noises to communicate with troop members. They use these noises to make the troop members aware that something dangerous is coming or to warn members of predators.

When a spider monkey baby is born, they totally depend on their mother for ten weeks. When that time is over they start to explore on their own and play amongst them self. Typically, females give birth to only a single baby every two or five years. Mothers continue to care for their young for the first year of their life. They often move about with their baby clinging on their back.

Some spider monkeys are close to extinction. Indigenous people often hunt spider monkeys for food. Logging still continues to shrink space that spider monkeys are able to call home. Three spider monkey species are endangered species the white-bellied spider monkey, brown-headed spider monkey and white-whiskered spider monkey.