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)