Howler monkeys are found only in the rainforests of the Americas. They live in tall rainforest trees in groups of between 4 and 19 members. They travel from tree to tree in search of food -- walking from limb to limb, rather than jumping. While not particularly perky primates, they are most active during the day (diurnal), sleeping high in rainforest trees at night.
Howlers have both natural and human-induced threats to their existence. The black howler monkey, known as the "baboon" in Belize, is endangered throughout much of its range due to hunting and habitat destruction. As forests are cleared, howlers, who need several acres of forest per troop to survive, are becoming increasingly rare. Throughout the region in which they are found, howlers are hunted both for food and for sport. Some experts believe that howlers could become extinct within the next 35 years.
