Mantled howler monkeys eat mostly leaves, and sometimes fruit, which is another reason they spend so much time in the treetops.
And sometimes, you’ll even see them above you. Howler monkeys are very territorial towards other howlers, and towards humans, too. Once, I was walking through the forest with a few other researchers and a group of howler monkeys started throwing their poop at us. As you can imagine, we quickly got out of there. I guess that’s one way to say “Get out of my room!,” but it’s not a strategy I recommend you try at home!
Human activities, such as deforestation, threaten howler monkeys because it destroys their habitat. Other human activities, like hunting for the pet trade, also put howler monkeys at risk. For these reasons, mantled howler monkeys are listed as “vulnerable” according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species). This is one step below “endangered.” Making sure people don’t buy or sell these animals as pets is important, as is protecting the forests where they live.
