Chiquito introduces himself by offering Olivier a pectoral sniff.
Embraces and pectoral sniffs occur frequently when individual spider monkeys in a community approach each other, or when individuals of the same community reunite after a period of separation (Klein & Klein, 1971; Eisenberg and Kuehn, 1966). There is a higher rate of male-male friendly behavior, including embraces and pectoral sniffing, in males than females (K. Slater, C. Schaffner and F. Aureli, unpublished data).
Our regent biologist Olivier Castro Morales visited a few days after the monkeys arrived, and Chiquito introduced himself by wrapping his arms around Olivier’s head and offering him a pectoral sniff...within seconds of Olivier entering the cage.
Olivier handled it well.
NOTE: If you're among the unfortunate majority who have never sniffed a spider monkey's pecs, the monkey wraps his (or her) arms around your head and pulls it toward the scent gland on his chest. There is no discernible odor to mere humans...but it's the thought that counts!
Our regent biologist Olivier Castro Morales visited a few days after the monkeys arrived, and Chiquito introduced himself by wrapping his arms around Olivier’s head and offering him a pectoral sniff...within seconds of Olivier entering the cage.
Olivier handled it well.
NOTE: If you're among the unfortunate majority who have never sniffed a spider monkey's pecs, the monkey wraps his (or her) arms around your head and pulls it toward the scent gland on his chest. There is no discernible odor to mere humans...but it's the thought that counts!
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