The
black-handed spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) is a native to the Central
American countries of Mexico, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. Spider monkeys are primarily
arboreal, they live in tropical evergreen, mangrove forest, lowland rainforest,
and semi-evergreen forests. They live in undisturbed forests and very rarely
ever come to ground so they brachiate from tree to tree get around. A.
geoffroyi are primarily generalist frugivores and secondarily folivores.
A.
geoffroyi is listed as endangered by the IUCN largely as a result of large
scale habitat loss across its range and a resultant decline in population of up
to 50 percent over 45 years (3 generations). The TAP assessed A. geoffroyi as
being moderately dangerous to humans, posing a low risk of establishment and a
low consequence of establishment. Consequently, the TAP assessment concluded
that the risk to Tasmania posed by A. geoffroyi is moderate.
The
species is available for import and possession only by wildlife exhibitors
approved to keep moderate threat species. Spider monkeys are only to be housed
in high security enclosures that meet or exceed minimum standards for security
and animal welfare in Australia.
Assessment Documentation
Risk Assessment Black Handed Spider Monkey (141Kb)