Mexico is home to a number of different species of monkeys, including the Mexican howling monkey, black howling monkey, Mexican spider monkey, and the Yucatán spider monkey. These monkeys can be found in various parts of the country, including the tropical forests of the Yucatan Peninsula.
All of Mexico’s native primates are threatened. The black howler (Alouatta pigra) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and Geoffroy’s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), which includes both the Mexican and Yucatán spider monkey subspecies, was assessed as Endangered in 2020. The mantled howler (Alouatta palliata) is listed as Vulnerable at the species level (2020 assessment), and its Mexican subspecies (A. p. mexicana) is considered Critically Endangered in the wild.
Are Mexican monkeys found in the wild?
Mexican monkeys live in the wild across various parts of the country. They thrive in different environments, like tropical and deciduous forests. Species such as spider monkeys and howler monkeys are arboreal, moving through the trees. In Mexico, their range is concentrated in the southern states of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatán, and Quintana Roo, where remaining tropical forest still supports breeding populations.
Are Mexican monkeys dangerous?
Mexican monkeys aren’t usually dangerous. However, they can become aggressive if provoked. Exercise caution around any wild animal.
