Bald uakari (Cacajao calvus)

Bald uakaris have red faces that are a symbol of good health, and those with malaria have paler faces than those who are immune. This enables the monkeys to choose the healthiest mate to breed with.

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Featured in the following TV programmes

  • Archived

    Andes to Amazon: MIGHTY AMAZON

    2nd of a 6 part series exploring the wildlife & wild places of South America. Looks at the Amazon river and its flooded forests.

About the Bald uakari

The Bald Uakari (Cacajao calvus) is a small New World monkey with a very short tail, red face, a bald head, and long coat. It generally weighs less than 9 pounds and is anywhere from about 20 to 23 inches in length. There are four recognized subspecies of the Bald Uakari, each of which is considered vulnerable to extinction:

  • White Bald-headed Uakari, Cacajao calvus calvus
  • Ucayali Bald-headed Uakari, Cacajao calvus ucayalii
  • Red Bald-headed Uakari, Cacajao calvus rubicundus
  • Novae's Bald-Headed Uakari, Cacajao calvus novaesi

Cacajao calvus is found in the wet forests of Brazil, Peru, and the Amazon River Basin.

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Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animal (animalia)

Phylum: Chordate (Chordata)

Class: Mammal (Mammalia)

Order: Primate (Primates)

Family: Pitheciidae (Cebidae)

Genus: Cacajao

Species: Bald Uakari (calvus)

Where can I see them?

Map showing the distribution of the Bald uakari species

This region contains the following habitats:

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder

Conservation Status

The Bald uakari is Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Decreasing

Year assessed: 2008

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