Virtual Flash Cards

10 of the weirdest primate species

#3

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
BALD UAKARI
What is the scientific name?
Cacajao calvus
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
MONKEY
Where do they live?
Bald uakaris are native to the Western Amazon—residing in the countries of Peru and Brazil, and possibly Colombia. Their rainforest habitat is in the Amazon River Basin, which often floods. Specifically, the bald uakari lives near “white water floods.” Flooding occurs most often in the rainy season. To avoid the high water, these comely monkeys live in the trees alongside small tributaries or lakes.
Picture
Latin America
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Where bald uakaris live (in green). Map: Chermundy & IUCN/Creative Commons
New world or old world?
NEW WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Mostly arboreal (they live in trees), bald uakaris live in the forest canopy over seasonal floodplains
  • The bald uakari's striking crimson-color face is caused by blood-flow beneath the skin, specifically a thinner epidermis coupled with a higher concentration of capillaries in the face
  • A redder face indicates a healthier monkey, since their faces, like ours, grow pale when they’re ill—particularly with malaria, which is rampant in their habitat
  • Troops are quite large—sometimes up to 100 monkeys, but more often around 30
What threatens their future?
Habitat loss through deforestation is perhaps the chief bane of these monkeys’ existence. Without trees to live in, they cannot live. Small-scale agriculture and the timber industry are the main threats to the bald uakari.

The monkey is possibly extinct from part of its native range in Colombia. Since their reproductive habits lead to slow population growth, population stability is a struggle in the fact of deforestation.

In addition, they are hunted for bushmeat and, in some areas, they are used as bait to hunt other species. 
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
VULNERABLE
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT BALD UAKARIS Monkeys
Go to the bald uakari Primate Species Profiles page
are bald uakaris good pets?
NO
  1. Bald uakaris have very specific dietary and environmental needs. Those needs cannot possibly be met in human living conditions.
  2. To become pets, baby primates are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  3. When taken from the wild, their mothers are killed to capture the baby.
  4. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  5. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches. Some die as a result of their captivity.
  6. In their natural habitat, bald uakaris live in large social groups. It is cruel to isolate them as pets.
  7. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  8. Bald uakaris belong with other bald uakaris in their South American rainforests. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
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