A White-bellied Spider Monkey hangs onto a tree branch with its prehensile tail as it forages for fruit in the Amazon rainforest. Credit: Pete Oxford
The White-bellied Spider Monkey (Ateles belzebuth) is a remarkable species native to the dense forests of the Amazon. Known for their agility and intelligence, these primates play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the rainforest. However, in Ecuador’s Orellana region, their survival is increasingly threatened due to habitat loss and deforestation. As one of the Amazon’s most threatened primates, their struggle highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts in this vital region.
In the northeast of Ecuador, the Orellana Province is still home to vast swathes of intact rainforest. It is these dense canopies that the White-bellied Spider Monkey calls home. Highly social creatures, they live in large groups that number up to 40 individuals but often split into smaller groups for foraging. Like other spider monkeys, their prehensile tail enables them to thrive in the forest, acting as a fifth limb and leaving their others free for grabbing fruit. However, as their habitat is steadily encroached upon by logging, agriculture, and other human activities, the future of these monkeys now hangs in the balance.
Although Ecuador’s Orellana Province still contains vast swathes of intact rainforest, deforestation looms on the horizon, with rapid logging and agricultural expansion. Credit: Sebastián Benalcazar/Nature and Culture International
The ongoing deforestation of the Orellana region is not just a threat to the White-bellied Spider Monkey but the rainforest as a whole. With the loss of these spider monkeys comes the loss of a seed disperser that is critical in promoting forest regeneration. The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the “lungs of the Earth,” is a crucial carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and playing a critical role in regulating the planet’s climate. The consequences of losing this rainforest will be devastating, not only for local wildlife and communities, but also the stability of the Earth’s entire climate.
Protecting this wonderful primate
This autumn, we are asking for your support to protect this highly threatened primate and its extraordinary Ecuadorian Amazon home. Between 2024 and 2028, our partner Nature and Culture in Ecuador is coordinating an ambitious project to bring an estimated 747,000 hectares (1.85 million acres) of rainforest into protection, which will transform the future of this agile monkey and many other wonderful species.
Every donation you give will bring us one step closer to preserving this irreplaceable region for generations to come. You can learn more about our Protecting the Ecuadorian Amazon appeal here.
Support our appeal today and help us transform the future of this incredible wildlife haven.
