LEAST CONCERN
WHITE-FACED SAKI
PITHECA PITHECA
White-Faced Sakis are native to the forests of South America. Males are recognized for their distinctive black, shaggy fur and expressive, white faces. Sakis are social primates who live in groups in the treetops, feeding on fruits seeds, and insects.
HABITAT
White-faced sakis are found in Northern South America.
They are primarily arboreal primates that live in the middle-to-lower canopy, rarely ever descending to the ground.
DIET
White-faced sakis eat mostly fruit, and they have robust incisors and canines to break through the tough skins and shells. They will also eat seeds, nuts, leaves and insects, especially ants.
They are an important seed disperser for many rainforest plants.
BEHAVIOUR
White-faced saki monkeys are dimorphic, meaning that males and females look very different.
Sakis live in monogamous pairs or small family groups of two to five animals. Duet vocalizations between males and females are important in maintaining territorial boundaries, as well as the social bond between pairs.
THREATS
White-faced sakis are Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Although classified as Least Concern, white-faced sakis face a number of threats, including habitat destruction, illegal hunting for meat, and captured for the pet trade