The White-Faced Saki (Pithecia pithecia) is a small South American primate featured in the Americas Animal Pack DLC for Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description[]
General[]
Population In Wild: Unknown
The white-faced saki (or Pithecia pithecia) is a small primate native to the rainforests of Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela. It is sexually dimorphic, with males being larger than females and both sexes having a distinct appearance. The male white-faced saki has long black and coarse hair on its back and tail, with shorter paler hair ventrally. Coarse white hair forms an M-shape around their face. Their eyes are orange-brown, nose and mouth are black. Female white-faced sakis have long grizzle grey-brown hair across their body and tail, and have tan-orange shorter hair on their underside. They have a small amount of orange fur around their face and a brown nose and mouth. White-faced sakis measure 30cm to 42cm in height, with a tail of the same length as their bodies. Males weigh 1.8kg to 2.4kg and females weigh 1.3kg to 1.9kg.
The white-faced saki is not endangered and is of Least Concern. However, the white-faced saki is hunted by locals and infants may be captured and sold into the pet trade. As a species that reproduces slowly and invests a lot in parental care, the removal of members of family groups can significantly impact the sustainable reproduction of this species
Social[]
White-faced saki live in small groups of 3-12 individuals. These groups consist of mated pairs and their offspring, with up to 3 family groups making up a social group.
Reproduction[]
White-faced saki mating is not well documented or understood. based on research on captive populations, it was believed they were fully monogamous, however due to the widely different group compositions in the wild, they may exhibit polygamy or promiscuity. A female in oestrous will breed with her mate or mates, which will be aggressive towards outside males attempting to approach her.
After a pregnancy for 146 days, the female will give birth to one infant. The new born will cling to the mothers thigh for the first month of its life. Between 1 to 4 months old, it may be carried dorsally or ventrally by the mother and rarely leaves her body. Weaning begins at 2 month old and is complete by 4 months old when the infant can move independently of the mother. Parental care is often also shared by other group members.
Young sakis will remain close to their mother until they reach sexual maturity. This is around 32 months old for males and 36 months for females. Until then, the mother will likely have had another baby, and the older sibling may help the mother care for the new infant. At sexual maturity, white-faces sakis leave their natal group to find their own territory to establish or join another family group and find a mate.
Animal Care[]
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PREFERRED OBJECTS | |
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Monkey Chow · Leaves and Shoots · Fruit | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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White-Faced Saki doesn't benefit from sharing space with other species |
Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- White-faced sakis are popular and charismatic animals. This also makes them vulnerable to capture for the illicit pet trade.
- White-faced sakis primarily eat seeds and nuts, and they have specially adapted canine teeth that allows them to break open hard shells.
- White-faced sakis 'duet' together to improve group cohesion and social bonds.
- Juvenile white-faced sakis often stay with their parents and help raise their siblings, teaching them parental care ahead of having their own offspring.
- The golden-faced saki was considered a sub-species of the white-faced saki until recently; the species were only split in 2014.
Other Trivia[]
- The White-faced Saki is the second New World monkey to be added to Planet Zoo, the first being the Colombian White-Faced Capuchin Monkey
Gallery[]
