BOISE, Idaho — Zoo Boise celebrated their spider monkey's 64th birthday on Thursday, and the zoo says he could be one of the oldest spider monkeys in the world.
According to the Zoo Boise website, this endangered species is intelligent and well adapted to life in the trees. They can be found throughout Central America and have a diverse diet including fruits, seeds, nuts, and small insects.
Black-handed spider monkeys are social creatures and prefer to be around other monkeys.
Under human care, these monkeys can live between 25 and 45 years. While it's unknown exactly how old Zoo Boise's spider monkey (Elvis) is, it is believed that he was born in 1962.
This means that Zoo Boise may potentially be home to the world's oldest spider monkey living under human care!
Back in 2023, Zoo Boise partnered with El Salvador's Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources to set up their country's first spider monkey sanctuary.
Zoo Boise's reputation is what led El Salvador's program to seek out its personnel — to teach them how to properly train and care for these monkeys.
