Know Before You Go

Saki monkeys belong to the larger species of monkeys found in the Amazon basin. Two species can be found along this part of the Amazon: Monk Saki and Equatorial Saki Monkey. These species have relatively long fur and an overall “fluffy” appearance. Once hunted to the brink of extinction due to their long tails used in Amazonian cities as table “dusters,” their populations are slowly recovering inside the protected areas. They can be found in patches of “mature” forest foraging on fruit and moving along the canopy with synchronized movements. They stay in small family troops (five to seven individuals). Their presence in a certain patch of forest reveals the relative “healthiness” of it and can work as a biological indicator.