In the wild, Black spider monkeys are widespread and are abundant enough to not be classified extinct. However, being looked upon as endangered, these species are likely to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future due to habitat destruction and over-hunting, by humans.
Conservation Threats:
Human Induced Habitat Loss and Degradation
Black spider monkeys are known to be species that require an undisturbed, primary forest. This is because they need a vast amount of forest to jump from tree to tree as well as a variety of fruiting trees for their frugivorous diet. These monkeys are a keystone species to the growth and survival of the forest environment by contributing to seed dispersal to help their ecosystem to nourish and thrive. Unfortunately, the amount of deforestation being done by humans counteracts in seed dispersal by destroying plant life and drastically declining the population of black spider monkeys that live within the habitat.
Harvesting (hunting/gathering) Black spider monkeys are often found hunted by indigenous populations because of their large body size and an increasing demand for bush meat. For many years, their fat has been used as a home remedy for pain in the muscles and joints. The population density of these species is much lower in areas where hunting does occur compared to areas where hunting does not occur.