Andean Night Monkey Aotus miconax

Andean Night Monkey Aotus miconax

Critically Endangered

Extant (resident)

Peru

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Known for their expressive big eyes, Peruvian Night Monkeys are one of the rarest and most beautiful monkeys in the world. They are critically endangered by gold mining, palm oil and meat deforestation. Help them every time you shop and be vegan, #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife!

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Andean Night Monkeys (also known as Peruvian Night Monkeys) are one of the rarest and least studied of all New World monkeys. They live in the cloud forests of northern Peru and are critically endangered.

Appearance & Behaviour

Andean Night Monkeys weigh around 1 kilo and range in colour between grey and light brown with distinctive black and white markings to the face.

Their chest and upper body are an orange hue and they are thought to live in the cloud forest at altitudes of 900-2,800 metres above sea level in the Amazonas, Huanuco and San Martin regions. They are known for their large expressive eyes which enable them to see well in the deeply shaded darkness of the cloud forest.

Threats

• They are mainly threatened by deforestation for palm oil and soy monoculture, mining and meat across their range.
• Collection for the pet trade is also an increasing threat.
• Illegal hunting for human consumption.

Andean Night Monkeys (Aotus miconax) are endemic to Peru, where they are threatened by deforestation, habitat disturbance and hunting. Shanee et al. (2015), conducting field surveys from 2009 to 2013 and using combined GIS and ecological niche modelling, estimated the species’ original extent of suitable habitat at close to 33,000 km², the third lowest of the 11 Aotus species. Of this, approximately 17,700 km² of suitable habitat remained at the completion of those surveys, representing a loss of close to 50% (up to 2013).

Forest loss and fragmentation continue, especially within the peripheral areas of this species’ range, with an expansion of mining and large-scale monocultures reaching higher into the Andean foothills. Hunting for food follows immigration into new areas, with young night monkeys also routinely taken as pets in the process. Given that this species appears to adapt to shrinking habitats, their rate of decline may not be as precipitous, but this is still sufficiently significant to qualify them as threatened.

IUCN red list

Habitat

They are found in primary and secondary forest and small forest patches in the humid montane cloud forests, and white sand forests.

Similar to other Night Monkeys of the Aotus Genus they are mostly nocturnal and spend the majority of the night time on the move. One study found that they spend 54% travelling, 13% resting and 33% of the time feeding during the night, with activity peaking at the beginning of each night.

Diet

Little is known of the diet of this species, however it is thought that their diet is mostly frugivorous with occasional buds and insects also consumed.

Mating and breeding

Peruvian Night Monkeys are highly gregarious and social, they form monogamous partnerships and live in small family groups of 2-6 individuals made up of young infants, sub-adults and solitary individuals of both sexes. Males are responsible for carrying and caring for infants.

Support Andean Night Monkeys by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

You can support this beautiful animal

There are no known conservation activities for this animal. Share out this post to social media and join the #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife on social media to raise awareness

Further Information

Shanee, S., Cornejo, F.M. & Mittermeier, R.A. 2020. Aotus miconax (amended version of 2019 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T1802A164046186. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T1802A164046186.en. Accessed on 06 February 2023.

Peruvian night monkey Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_night_monkey

Peruvian night monkey on Animalia.bio: https://animalia.bio/peruvian-night-monkey

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