Meet The Only Nocturnal Monkey Species In The World – News18

The Night Monkey is the sole nocturnal monkey in the world. They remain active during the night like an owl and sleep during the day. With large, brown, or orange eyes that aid in low-light vision, they are also referred to as Owl Monkeys. A viral video showcases the distinctive features that set night monkeys apart from their diurnal counterparts. The video on social media highlights that these nocturnal monkeys are only active at night. By day, they rest in trees, and their large brown eyes enable them to see well even in the darkness. As per the animaldiversity.org report, the Night Monkey — also known as Douroucoulis — holds the distinction of being the sole nocturnal monkey globally. These monkeys rest, sunbathe, and sleep during the day, reserving their activities for nighttime, when they consume fruits, juices, insects, and other small animals.

Night monkeys, found in the Americas, specifically Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay, are characterised by large eyes, flat, round faces, and thick, woolly hair. There are eight species of these small monkeys. They have a lifespan ranging from 13 to 20 years.

In a YouTube video by National Geographic on the Night Monkey, scientists reveal that male night monkeys exhibit a unique behaviour – they take care of small offspring until they reach maturity. Some reports suggest that young ones stay with night monkeys until the age of 2.5 to 3.5 years.

Night monkeys stand out as the sole truly nocturnal monkeys, although some populations of Azara’s night monkeys display irregular bursts of activity during both day and night. These monkeys, living in small family groups consisting of a mated pair and their immature offspring, possess a diverse vocal repertoire and monochromatic vision that enhances their ability to navigate in low-light conditions.

Unfortunately, night monkeys face various threats, including habitat loss, the pet trade, bushmeat hunting, and biomedical research. Remarkably, they are one of the few monkey species susceptible to Plasmodium falciparum, the often deadly human malaria protozoan, making them valuable in non-human primate experimental subjects for malaria research. The Peruvian night monkey is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with four species labelled as Vulnerable, four as Least-concern, and two as data deficient.