Bald Uakari
Roy Fontaine |
The bald uakari is a very bizarre looking primate found in the upper Amazonian region of western Brazil, eastern Peru, and possibly southern Colombia. Bald uakaris have little or no fur on the face and forehead, with pink to red facial skin. Their red faces are a symbol of good health, and those that are sick have paler faces than those that are healthy. They have long, thick white or red fur (colorations vary according to subspecies), and they have very short, bushy tails. Adults grow up to 22 inches in head and body length, their tails only reach about 7.3 inches, and they weigh between 4.4 and 6.6 lbs. Females are larger than males.
Uakaris prefer swampy or flooded tropical forests that are found along small rivers and lakes for their habitat. They are very intelligent and form large social groups of up to 100 individuals. When foraging, they prefer to split up into smaller groups of up to ten. They are active only in the day and at night climb high into the trees to sleep. Uakaris are herbivorous and feed on seeds, grain, ripe fruits, leaves, nectar, and insects. Mating occurs between October and May, and it is not known how long the gestation period lasts. Females give birth to one young every two years, and the young are nursed for three to five months.
This species is threatened by habitat destruction and hunting. They are hunted in Peru and Brazil for their meat or to be used as bait. The species is protected in Peru, but there are very few protection measures in place to preserve the species.
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