Nancy Ma’s Night Monkey Aotus nancymaae
Nancy Ma’s Night Monkey Aotus nancymaae
Endangered
Extant (resident)
Brazil (Amazonas); Colombia; Peru
Deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, the Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys peer out of the trees during the dusk with their large, soulful eyes and striking facial markings. Also known as the Ma’s night monkey or the Peruvian red-necked owl monkey, this nocturnal primate is named in honour of Dr. Nancy Shui-Fong Ma, who played a significant role in understanding their genetics and later led to the discovery of other species.These monkeys are endemic to Brazil, Peru, and parts of Colombia, these monkeys are an essential part of their ecosystem. They now face direct threats from expansion for palm oil, soy and meat deforestation and are wild captured for scientific research – much of primate research is not even relevant to human health. Help them every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil, be #vegan and #Boycott4Wildlife!
Nurturing small monkeys with big eyes, Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys care in convivial family groups. Threats: capture for use in medical research 👎 and #palmoil #deforestation 🪔 #BanPrimateExperiments 🙈#Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Hi
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Nancy Ma’s Night #Monkeys are little wonders of #Peru #Brazil 💌🇧🇷 🩷They’re now #endangered due to soy, #palmoil and meat #ecocide and capture for cruel experiments 🤮🚫 #BanPrimateExperiments 🙊 #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8Hi
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Appearance & Behaviour
These diminutive monkeys weigh around 700 grams and are around 90 cm long from head to tail. They are famous for their large eyes, which have evolved for excellent night vision. They sport an endearing heart-shaped patch of white fur around their eyes and mouth, contrasted by dark brown or black outlines. Their coats are a mix of reddish-orange, light brown, and grey fur, and they possess a black, non-prehensile tail. Their hands are adept at grasping, equipped with long fingers and wide pads.
Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys play a vital role in forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds, which aids in forest regeneration. They are nocturnal and crepuscular creatures are most active during twilight and dawn. They forage in the upper canopy and sleep in the lower canopy or understory during the day.
Quirky Facts
Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys are unique among Latin American monkeys due to their monochromatic vision, seeing the world in shades of black and white. This adaptation does not impede their nocturnal activities; instead, it enhances their ability to move gracefully and catch insects in the dark. Their exceptional night vision, along with a strong sense of smell, helps them locate fruits, flowers, and insects without needing to perceive color.
Living high in the trees, these monkeys are primarily arboreal and only venture to the ground when absolutely necessary. They source their food from the upper canopy but descend to the lower canopy or understory to rest. Their peak activity periods are at twilight and dawn, making them crepuscular creatures. Daytime, however, is reserved for sleep.
When it comes to finding a place to sleep, Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys are very particular. They prefer tree hollows or branches and shrubs that offer natural depressions or can be manipulated to create a secure hiding spot. Their shelters must be large enough for the entire group to sleep together, hidden from predators and equipped with multiple escape routes in case of danger. This meticulous selection of sleeping quarters helps mitigate the risk posed by daytime predators.
Take Action!
Strong government and global legislation to protect their rainforest home is needed. Additionally, the maintenance and guardianship of forests by indigenous peoples keeps these animals protected. Consumers can take action every time they shop, by being vegan and boycotting meat and boycotting palm oil, as animal agriculture, soy and palm oil deforestation is a major threat to the Nancy Ma’s Night Monkey. Use your wallet as a weapon for future generations!







Threats
IUCN Red List highlights a major threat these monkeys being palm oil deforestation across their range. A second totally unnecessary and tragic threat is their use for medical research. The findings of using primates in human research have been widely criticised, there are now much better, animal-free ways to do research.
- Habitat Loss: Deforestation for agriculture, logging, and palm oil plantations poses the greatest threat. In Peru, extensive forest areas are cleared for rice cultivation and livestock pastures. In Brazil, rainforest destruction is driven by cattle pastures and soybean production.
- Illegal Trade: These monkeys are frequently found in the illegal pet trade and are also used in biomedical research, particularly for malaria studies, severely impacting their wild populations.



Habitat
Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys inhabit the lowland tropical rainforests of Northern Peru, Western Brazil, and certain regions of Colombia. They prefer areas that experience seasonal flooding, which provide more tree hollows and soft vegetation for nesting.
Diet
Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys primarily feast on fruits and flowers found in the upper reaches of the forest canopy. Though their diet mainly consists of fruits, they occasionally supplement it with insects. Their dexterous hands make them adept at capturing insects on branches; they often hold the insect with one hand while using the other to pick it apart for consumption.
Being nocturnal gives these monkeys an advantage, as they forage under the cover of darkness, avoiding competition with diurnal herbivores. This nighttime activity allows them to access food resources without the pressure of daytime competitors.
Mating and breeding
If want to find an example of a loving parental bond look no further than Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys! The mother and father become the nucleus of a small family, including their offspring until they reach adulthood, which is around two years old.
During this time, the young monkeys will eventually leave to find their own lifelong mates. Typically, a family group consists of the parents and up to three children.
The bonded pair mates year-round but usually has only one or two offspring each year. The gestation period is approximately 133 days (a little over four months). For the first week after birth, both parents equally share the responsibilities of caring for their newborn.
After the initial week, the father takes on the primary role in child-rearing, with the mother mainly handling nursing duties. Babies nurse for about one to three weeks. After nursing, mothers encourage the baby to return to the father, who continues to carry the infant until it can move independently. The father is responsible for protection, grooming, nurturing, and additional feeding once the baby is weaned. This remarkable paternal involvement makes Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys an inspiring example of fatherhood in the animal world.
Support Nancy Ma’s Night Monkeys by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Maldonado, A., Guzmàn-Caro, D., Shanee, S., Defler, T.R. & Roncancio, N. 2020. Aotus nancymaae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T41540A115578713. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T41540A115578713.en. Accessed on 24 July 2024.
Neotropical Primate Conservation. (n.d.). Nancy Ma’s night monkey. Retrieved from https://neprimateconservancy.org/nancy-mas-night-monkey/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Nancy Ma’s night monkey. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Ma%27s_night_monkey

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