Ecuador: Spider monkeys reintroduced into the rainforest
Spider monkeys are crucial to maintaining forests and their biodiversity (© amaZOOnico)
A spider monkey in an AmaZoonico enclosure (© amaZOOnico)
Dec 18, 2024
Three white-fronted spider monkeys swing swiftly along a stretched rope in the Amazon rainforest – their first moves toward freedom in the wild. For years, our partner organization AmaZoonico in Ecuador prepared them for this stirring moment, supported by donations to Rainforest Rescue.
AmaZoonico has released three white-fronted spider monkeys as part of its reintroduction program. After years of rehabilitation and preparation, the door to their enclosure was finally opened, deep in the Amazon rainforest. The monkeys had been carefully prepared for this day with minimal human contact.
This beautiful video was created by AmaZoonico volunteers Hanna Riekhoff and Pia Röttgers:
The success of releasing endangered primates depends heavily on reducing their dependence on humans. To survive in the rainforest, they must develop natural behaviors and learn about edible fruits and plants. They also need to locate fruit trees and recognize when fruits ripen in their habitat.
The AmaZoonico team uses GPS collars, placed on the monkeys before their release, to track their movements and locations in the rainforest. Rainforest Rescue funded both the reintroduction program and daily monitoring of these monkeys, carried out on-site and via GPS collars.
In 2024, other activities supported by donations included the release, monitoring, and scientific study of forest turtles’ behavior.
Donations also went toward enriching the Selva Viva, a 1,750-hectare rainforest area managed by AmaZoonico, with fruit trees for its wildlife. Seeds collected from rainforest trees were grown into seedlings at AmaZoonico’s nursery and later planted in clearings.
For more information on our support for AmaZoonico, please visit the profile of our partner project.