BY COLLIN

The White Faced Saki

Taxonomy

Family: Cebidae Order: Primates Class: Mammalia Phylum: Chordates Kingdom: Animal Kingdom

Physical Characteristics The male saki is black with a white –reddish

forehead, face and throat. The females are brown-gray fur with pale stripes around there corners of there mouth and nose

The colors of the saki can be black or brownish. The male length is 12.3 – 19.9in and weight

about 3.5 lbs. The females length is 10 – 21.3in there weight is about 3 lbs.

The differences between male/female/young are males are black with a white-reddish forehead, face and throat. Females have brown-gray fur with pale strips around there mouth and nose. No difference between young and adult.

Reproduction

Gestation for the white faced saki is 163 – 167 days.

The number of young born at one time for the saki is 1.

All the saki's in one family care for the young.

The saki’s parents care for it for a little bit than other family members take care of it. They are independent by six months usually.

Habitat

The white faced saki is found in southern and eastern Venezuela, the Guiana's and north eastern Brazil. The saki likes forested areas they also like lower canopy levels .

They are arboreal. The saki is territorial. They nest on the lower canopy of

trees The saki is not endangered but is

hunted for food and pets.

Food

The saki eats berries, nuts, leaves, other plant material, small birds, other mammals (bats), grasshoppers and mealworms.

Its predators are small cats, tree dwelling snakes and birds of prey.

Interesting Facts

Saki’s do not grab branches between their index finger and their thumb as we would, but between their index finger and middle finger.

White faced saki’s are known as “Flying Monkey” due to their ability to jump 30 feet.

Physical Adaptations1. They have strong canine teeth so they can crack open

nut shells and seeds.

2. Sakis fluff up when threatened to scare predators away.

3. The saki have strong hind legs to get away from predators .

4. They use there tail to balance when leaping and/or running from predators.

5. They use all four legs to help climb trees and leap. This helps them to run from predators and find food.

6. Fur is long and coarse for the cold nights. To maintain body temperature.

7. The saki is almost completely arboreal so no animal on the ground unless it can climb can get it.

8. They are acrobatic so they can dodge predators.

9. Use vocal cords to show aggression and for defense.

10. Have grips on their hands to climb and get away from predators.

Behavioral Adaptations

1. Makes calls to alert others if something is happening.

2. They are able to satisfy their needs in small area so they don’t have to travel all the time.

3. The saki’s have amazing escaping abilities to get away from predators.

4. Nest in trees to stay safe from predators.5. The white faced saki uses its tail to

balance when leaping and/or running from predators.

Zoo Observations

The size of their habitat was a little smaller than a classroom.

The room was made of fake trees and concrete. It is enclosed by glass. Under its feet was a little bit of mulch but mostly concrete. There was a little vegetation and a small shelter for it and for the other animals in there. There was a little bit of land forms. Also it was very well maintained.

Zoo Observations

There was three animals in the habitat such as the: Emperor Tamarin and a Tamandua.

There food source was a dish hanging from a tree. There water source was a small pool.

My animal was running back and fourth, jumping from branch to branch and climbing when we saw it.

TamanduaEmperor Tamarin

Zoo Observation (Improvements)

The saki zoo habitat should have more vegetation so that they can have a better variety of food choices.

These monkeys should have a bigger zoo habitat so that they can get proper exercise.

More shelter for sleeping would be beneficial for the saki.

More than one saki monkey should live in the zoo habitat so that a group can learn to live together.

Zoo Observations (Perfect)

The saki monkey loves to jump and the zoo habitat had many branches for him to do so.