Equipped with long arms, legs and tails and dark red bodies, red howler monkeys live in the rain forests of Central and South America. Like many other monkeys, they use their long tails as an extra hand, often hanging upside down while finding a meal on the underside of a branch.
These monkeys live high in treetops where they eat leaves, flowers and fruit. The moisture received from these, plus what they get by licking wet leaves, satisfies their thirst so that no other water is needed. This prevents them from having to leave the safety of the trees - another provision of the Creator for this interesting animal.
Red howlers are not peaceful animals and continually fight for leadership. However, they do stay together in small groups and move through the trees at a slow pace to keep together. In fact, this monkey is not known for speed or activity but is quite slow in all its habits. That is why the native people call it flojo, which means lazy.
Unusual vocal cords and large, round mouths allow them to make piercing howls that can be heard for a mile or more. Individuals may howl for no apparent reason. When the whole troop howls together, they make an unforgettable racket! Howling is done almost every dawn, pausing only to listen for answering howls from others. Their howls seem to say, “Don’t cross over into our territory!” They are ready to howl at any time, especially when there is a full moon. They can also purr, grunt and squeal.
When moving from one place to another, a mother first waits for her baby to climb onto her back. The baby has an exciting piggy-back ride as its mother leaps from branch to branch. Interestingly, the young monkeys are more lively than the adults, having mock battles and squealing with pleasure while the parents nap, which is most of the day.
We enjoy watching monkeys and their antics, realizing they have been uniquely created by a wise Creator who also cares for them at all times. But He has not given them a nature like ours. When we think of His special care for humans, we have to agree with the Bible: “Great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:55God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. (Job 37:5)).
Animals know nothing of God’s wonderful love that goes out to every person. God invites each one to come to Him, admitting he is a sinner and believing that God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died on the cross to cleanse him from all sin. When this is done in true faith, God promises, “[I] will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:1818And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)). Have you accepted this wonderful invitation?
ML-12/09/2001