Common Squirrel Monkey

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The Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus) is a small New World primate from the Cebidae family, and native from ten different countries of South America: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

It lives in very large groups, up to 300 individuals, on moist tropical forests, and usually forages in the medium and lower levels of the forest and sleeps close to the canopy. The females are the dominant members of the group.

It is a very agile monkey, with a high metabolic rate, and although an omnivorous animal, it feeds primarily on insects and other invertebrates. It also feeds on fruits, seeds and other plant parts.

It is common to see these squirrel monkeys in mixed groups, moving along with other primate species and birds.

References

Rylands et al (2003). [Saimiri sciureus]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern

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