Found in the rain forests of Central America, the highly social mantled howler monkey is endangered as a result of habitat destruction and natural disasters. Legal protections have been implemented to protect the monkeys, and there are about 1,300 members of the species living in protected areas.
A member of the cat family, the margay resides in rain forests east of the Andes Mountains. The main threats to the margay are hunters who sell their fur, the pet trade and a destruction of habitat due to deforestation. The species is nearly extinct, and though laws protect them, illegal hunting still occurs.
Noted for its long limbs, this species is endangered in both Nicaragua and Panama, mostly as a result of habitat loss due to logging. There are 16 subspecies, two of which are endangered. The black-forehead spider monkey is protected in two national parks and one reserve, while the Panamanian red spider monkey is protected in a national park in Costa Rica and a biological reserve.
