At present the owl monkey inventory at the DuMond Conservancy is approximately 60 individuals. The majority of the breeding adults are under 15 years old, but a few of breeding adults (males in particular) are quite elderly. Nearly all the monkeys are socially housed as either mated pairs or as families of up 5 individuals. Seventy percent of the karyotyped owl monkeys in the DuMond Conservancy collection are A. nancymaae.

The environment houses the largest collection of owl monkeys outside of a laboratory in North America. The number in our colony alone is larger than the combined inventory listed in the North American studbook.

The DuMond Conservancy maintains representatives of 5 species of owl monkeys. The numerous species is A. nancymaae, but in addition A. nigriceps, A. lemurinus griseimembra, A. azarai boliviensis, and A. vociferans are also represented in the collection but with small numbers (we have a single male A. vociferansand A. nigriceps). The majority of the monkeys are socially housed in either mated pairs or families ranging in size from 3 to 5 individuals. Several of the families number 4 or 5 individuals, which is similar to the group size, reported from nature. The pedigrees of the monkeys are known. The monkeys are kept in large outdoor cages and the behavioral repertoire of the monkeys is normal. The owl monkeys at the DuMond Conservancy show some seasonality in the timing of their births and the pattern is similar to that observed for owl monkey births in Peru.

This collection of owl monkeys is unique because its location in South Florida allows us to maintain the owl monkeys out doors year round. Consequently they are exposed to seasonal changes in climate and to natural lunar cycles. The owl monkeys spend a considerable amount of their nighttime activity foraging for insects at night. Owl monkeys are well known to be stressed by the conditions of captivity but Owl Monkeys at the DuMond Conservancy are left relatively undisturbed in a secluded wooded environment - they are habituated to observation and they have been trained for urine collection.

Owl monkeys are observed in the early evening (at dusk and for the two hours after nightfall) to monitor feeding and social behavior. Enrichment bottles (plastic bottles filled with food items) are regular presented to all socially living owl monkeys...[Read More]

All the owl monkeys at the Dumond Conservancy for Primates and Tropical Forests have a name and a personality to go with it. Jeffrey Weingarth has been coming to the Conservancy for a few years now through a program for mentally handicapped students of Southridge High School in South Dade to participate in the care of the primates on the premises....[Read More]

Selected slides from presentation at the Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting of the American Society of Primatologist held in Portland, August 17-25th, 2005. (Powerpoint format)

"An imported species of millipede from the West Indies is flourishing in parts of South Florida, experts say. The capuchin and owl monkeys at the park like to rub the creatures on their fur, which sends them into a delirious state, said Sian Evans, who heads the DuMond Conservancy, a primate conservation group based at Monkey Jungle"...(Read More)

"Unlike most monogamous primates, owl monkeys rarely allogroom and do not perform vocal duets. They do, however, share food with their mates. I am examining food sharing between mates in detail to determine if food sharing functions to provide females with added nutrition when they are pregnant and lactating, and/or if food sharing aids in social bonding."...(Read More)

"The primates at the DuMond Conservancy captivate and educate our volunteers and visitors. The Conservancy is a well-recognized resource for people interested in studying primates. But what happens when these monkeys die?"...(Read More)