Upon a first glance at this remarkable monkey with distinctive and unforgettable appearance, it would be hard to conceal one's curiosity about this unique monkey. Although its unusual look seems to suggest that it is rare or endangered, it is, in fact, the most abundant monkey species in the Amazon rainforest. And this is the squirrel monkey.

The common squirrel monkeys are popular as pets. They are frequently captured for the pet trade or medical research, for this reason, they are under a breeding program. However, there are two species among the five species of squirrel monkeys are listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Squirrel monkeys are considered to be one of the cleverest monkeys due to having the largest brain to body mass ratio of all the monkey species in the world. They have incredibly good eyesight and color vision which allow them to easily spot fruits among the dense vegetation. 

Squirrel Monkeys spread urine on their hands and feet to mark territories, and leave a scent trail when they are moving in the trees.

Squirrel monkeys enjoy community life. They live in troops of up to 500 members. They forage together and sometimes would follow another troop's track to take advantage of their food. These small monkeys are omnivorous, which means their diet consists of everything from plants, fruits, to insects and small animals. However, in areas that are affected by deforestation, squirrel monkeys have to raid agricultural plantations to search for food.

The fact that squirrel monkeys inhabit the jungle in enormous troops means that they have also been severely affected by deforestation as it is harder to find enough food to sustain the whole troop. When this leads to their raiding of crops, farmers employ several methods to try to keep them away, which threaten their lives. 

(All photos are from VCG.)

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