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The AMAZING Howler Monkeys in Belize

In person, the howl of the Howler is horrific! You feel it in your chest and are sure something terrible is about to happen. The loudest land animals, they can be heard clearly 3 miles away. From Wiki: The function of howling is thought to relate to intergroup spacing and territory protection, as well as possibly to mate-guarding. Taken in Belize at the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. Audio has not been enhanced.

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Belize CRAZY MONKEYS !!! Monkey River Eco Tours Placencia

Head out on a fun day with Monkey River Eco Tours Placencia Belize to Monkey River to see crocodiles, birds, turtles, herons and howler monkeys up close!

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Newborn Howler monkey at BFREE in Belize

During March 2016, we observed a relatively rare event in which a newborn Howler monkey had fallen from a tree adjacent to the bunkhouse. The BFREE reserve has a healthy population of howler monkeys and at least 5 - 7 troops are regularly identified in the area.

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Sounds of the Howler Monkey

The first time you hear a howler monkey up close it is a little scary. This one was somewhere above us but we never saw it. See our photos here!

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Howler monkeys love flowers!

Yucatan black howler monkeys are herbivorous, with a highly specialized gut that is able to make the maximum use of the leaves they eat. In rehab here at Wildtracks, we help them build their foraging skills through enrichment, encouraging them to hunt to find their favourite leaves and flowers from the bamboo holders provided.

Everyone approaches the enrichment in their own way - something we never forget as we help them through the rehab process...all monkeys are individuals, all move at their own speed through rehabilitation. There is no "one size fits all". Catering for the individual needs may be why, after five years and 40 released individuals, we have a 90%+ first year survival rate, and an over 75% long term survival rate spanning the five years since the first releases. Last year was the first time wild babies were born to the released rehab troops, with 11 youngsters added to the Fireburn population since then. Yucatan black howler monkeys are globally endangered, with populations in Belize, Mexico and Guatemala being impacted by large scale land clearance and forest fragmentation. Join us in making a difference - follow their stories and share their successes!

Field recording of Howler Monkeys in the tree canopy above Lamanai, Belize

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Howler Monkeys in Belize

Turn It Up! Howler Monkeys bursting eardrums at Lamanai, Belize
On our tour of Lamanai this small troop of Howler Monkeys began howling. Surprise! As I had my wide-angle lens on and Howlers will stop suddenly, I kept shooting. There's six or seven in the top of this Bullet Tree. They're the second loudest mammal on our planet, second only to Elephants.

Studying Howler Monkeys in Belize
A trip I took in college to study Howler and Spider monkeys in Belize!


Belize Howler monkeys
Belize Howler monkey troop. While we stayed at the Black Orchid Resort located on the Belize River (where they use to float down the mahogany from the mountains) we heard these guys!

Howler Monkey Release in Belize
Ten years ago howler monkeys were found throughout Runaway Creek Nature Reserve. The population slowly disappeared following Hurricane Richard and subsequent forest fires in 2010-2011. These released monkeys were confiscated from the illegal pet trade by the Belize Forest Department and thanks to Wildtracks dedicated work, rehabilitated for a release back into the wild.

One year of tracking a troop of three Yucat�n black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) at Belize Botanic Gardens and three adjacent properties. Total area used is just under 16 hectares. Very low population density compared to Bermudian Landing where average home range is less than 4 hectares. Why is this interesting? Hopefully, it will lead to better land management practices and conservation of this and other species.
Robin Brockett:

Robin Brockett who has been studying primates, mainly Howler Monkeys over 7 years. She started at Bermudian Landing, to Monkey Bay across the Sibun River and now throughout Cayo. She is our Jane Goodall.