uakari

The bald uakari lives in the treetops of west Brazil, and seldom descends to the ground. It is very agile, although it rarely leaps, since it lacks a long tail to use as a counterbalance. The three species of uakari are the only New World monkeys to have short tails.

Any of several rare South American monkeys of the genus Cacajao. There are three species, all with bald faces and long fur. About 55 cm/1.8 ft long in head and body, and with a comparatively short 15 cm/6 in tail, they rarely leap, but are good climbers, remaining in the tops of the trees in swampy forests and feeding largely on fruit. The black uakari is in danger of extinction because it is found in such small numbers already, and the forests where it lives are fast being destroyed.