Mantled Howler Monkey: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Monkeys and Lemurs · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. A male howler has an enlarged hollow bone near his vocal cords that makes his calls louder. It gave the howler its name.
2. Leaves are hard to digest and give little energy, so mantled howlers spend most of each day resting and sleeping.
3. Howler groups can top 40 members, though most are smaller. Most adults of both sexes get evicted from their birth group.
4. Seeds that pass through a howler's gut seem to sprout more easily. Dung beetles also seem to depend on howlers.
5. For its first 2 or 3 weeks, a baby howler rides underneath its mother, holding on to her chest. Then it moves onto her back.

The quiz

1. What makes a male howler's calls so loud?

• Huge lungs
• An enlarged hollow bone (correct)
• Inflatable cheeks
• A long tongue

An enlarged hollow hyoid bone amplifies the male's calls.

2. What do mantled howlers do for most of the day?

• Rest and sleep (correct)
• Travel far
• Hunt insects
• Groom each other

Leaves give little energy, so they rest and sleep most of the day.

3. What happens to most howlers when they reach sexual maturity?

• They take over the group
• They stay with their mother
• They are evicted from their birth group (correct)
• They join the alpha male

Most are evicted, so adult groups are mostly unrelated.

4. Which insects also seem to depend on howlers?

• Butterflies
• Termites
• Bees
• Dung beetles (correct)

Dung beetles appear to depend on the presence of howlers.

5. Where does a baby howler ride after the first 2 or 3 weeks?

• On its father's shoulders
• On its mother's back (correct)
• Under its mother's chest
• In a nest

After that, the baby is carried on its mother's back.

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