The woolly spider monkey, or muriqui, is one of the most endangered primate species in the world today. Because of deforestation pressures in its natural habitat-- the Atlantic coastal forests of southeastern Brazil--the muriquis are confined to less than three percent of their original range. There are now only a dozen forest fragments known to support a total muriqui population of about 500 individuals. This book traces the natural history of the muriqui from its scientific discovery in 1806 to its current, highly endangered status. The book provides a case study of this scientifically...