Monkeys of Panama*


D. Robert Rasmussen

These web pages contain information on the monkeys found in the Republic of Panama.  It is my hope that we will be able to expand and develop these pages as time goes on.  In particular I ask the readers who encounter free-ranging monkeys in their natural environment in Panama (not pets) to take pictures and record the location where they see them so that we can add to knowledge of the current distribution and abundance of monkeys in Panama.   If you have such information please do email them to me at panama@nurturenatural.org.  

There are several species on monkeys found in the Republic of Panama.  The exact number of species and sub-species is controversial and dependent on the taxonomic specialist.  The genus of each type of monkey found in Panama and the common names are hence somewhat more easily used to describe the monkeys than their scientific species names.  All taxonomic experts agree though, that there are 6 distinct genera of monkeys found in Panama.  For this reason we group here the monkeys in Panama by genus.  Clicking on the name of each genus or the representative picture of a monkey in each genus will take you to a web page describing the monkeys found in that genus in the Republic of Panama.  

The greatest challenge all the monkeys of Panama face is the continued destruction of the forests that are where they live.  Click here, to read more about deforestation.   More information on primatology and links to information may by found on the Information Resources Page.


 Capuchins (Cebus)

howler monkey

Howler monkeys (Alouatta)

night monkeys

Night monkeys (Aotus)

spider monkey

Spider Monkeys (Ateles)

Tamarins (Saguinus)

Squirrel Monkey, Samiri.

Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri)

*Much of the information in these web pages was taken from the former web pages of the Primate Foundation of Panama that I founded and directed.  Many colleagues, students, and  monkeys, contributed to the development of those web pages, and I am grateful for how their past contributions add to the current web pages.