Monkeys, Amazon

If I listen intently, I can hear all sorts of crazy sounds coming from monkeys. There's hooting and barking, whistling and chirping, and even loud screaming. These sounds are how monkeys talk to each other and have different meanings. Some calls warn about danger, while others are to keep in touch with the group. The howler monkeys are especially loud and use their calls to mark their territory or attract a mate.

There are more than 150 species of monkeys in the Amazon, and they play an important role in its ecology. Since they feed on fruit and other plant material, they help to disperse seeds throughout the forest. Marmosets and tamarin consume nectar and pollen, so they help pollinate flowers and other species. They also occupy various levels of the food chain, both as predators of smaller animals and as potential prey for larger ones. Also, their droppings are important nutrients for the forest floor, helping to maintain soil fertility and promote the growth of plant species.

A handful of species are commonly seen in the Amazon, with the Howler Monkey as one of the largest primates. These fellas are very noisy and likely to be heard well before being seen. The Maya worshipped them for their beauty and depicted them as gods. Juveniles usually leave the group they were born in and spend the rest of their lives in a group they are not related to. An excellent sense of smell allows them to smell food from over a mile away, even if their diet consists mostly of leaves. They would eat fruit but are typically outpaced by the much faster spider monkeys and end up missing out on it.

Spider monkeys are quite nimble, using their extremely long limbs and prehensile tail to move quickly through the upper layers of the rainforest. Because of their limbs, they can leap up to 35ft (11m) from tree to tree. They also have great spatial memory, remembering the location of fruit trees and water sources. These highly social and playful creatures are important seed carriers of a particular type of palm, spreading them for long distances in the forest. Unfortunately, they are listed as endangered on the IUCN List.

A fascinating-looking monkey is the Emperor Tamarin, thought to be named after German emperor Wilhelm II due to the long moustache-like facial hairs. It's one of the smallest monkeys, pretty much squirrel-sized, that can weigh as little as 4oz (113g). They are often born as twins. Their long fingers allow them to extract insects from tree bark, and their specialised teeth enable them to open tough shells of fruits and nuts.

These mischievous creatures are a lot of fun to watch in their natural habitat, observing their interactions and playfulness while listening to their noisy chatter.