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Spider Monkeys' Tails

This Science Minute was researched and written by Ariana G. of Ithaca, NY.

Spider monkeys are some of the earth's most amazing animals! They live in the new world: Mexico, Central America, and northwestern Colombia. New world monkeys have prehensile tails, which means that their tail can grasp things. A spider monkey's tail is like a fifth limb.

The underside of their tail is a fleshy pad that looks and functions like a human hand. The pad has no hair, so it can grip slippery branches. It has skin grooves, which are similar to fingerprints!

A spider monkey's tail can hold the animal's entire body weight of about 12 pounds for hours! Spider monkeys can also use their tail to pick flower buds, fruits, and other things to eat.

Like I said, spider monkeys are pretty amazing.