A squirrel monkey is seen resting on a tree in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru. 

(Photos by Qiu Haoping and Qiu Kuanmin)

A squirrel monkey has a large brain as compared to the size of its body. It is one of the most clever monkeys. These monkeys have about 30 types of calls to communicate with other members of their troop.

They are ecologically significant to South America as they spread plant seeds and facilitate forest growth. 

Though the squirrel monkeys are facing a threat of habitat loss, but luckily they are not endangered. Currently, they are listed as "least concern" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.

The Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, situated in Loreto, Peru, is home to many animals, including the black alligator and different species of primates. Meanwhile, the flooded rain-forest protected by the reserve is home to a variety of aquatic species.   

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