muriqui

Muriqui, the common name for the woolly spider monkey, refers to two species of large arboreal New World monkeys in the genus Brachyteles. The northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) and the southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) are endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, where they inhabit remnants of primary and secondary forest. They are among the largest New World primates, with bodies up to about 60 cm long and weights approaching 15 kg, and they have long, strong limbs and a prehensile tail used for locomotion through the canopy. Their dense woolly fur is typically grey-brown, with facial skin often exposed.

Muriquis are highly folivorous-frugivorous, spending long periods in trees and moving in slow, deliberate suspensory locomotion. They live in social groups that can be relatively small and may split into subgroups during the day; groups are mixed-sex and engage in mutual grooming. They have a long interbirth interval, with infants remaining dependent for many months, and females are the primary caregivers.

Conservation is a major concern for muriquis: both species are listed as endangered by the IUCN, with populations greatly reduced by deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and hunting. Efforts to conserve muriquis include protection of forest in national parks and reserves within the Atlantic Forest, habitat restoration, and community-based conservation programs, along with research on their ecology and social behavior.