Scientists don’t know very much about the Miller’s saki monkey (Pithecia milleri), so its precise range in South America, as well as its population size, is unknown. Fieldwork from scientists does tell us, however, that the Miller’s saki can be found in the tropical forests near the intersection of Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

The Miller’s saki is part of the Pithecia genus of monkeys. Species in this grouping are characterized as medium-sized monkeys that have long, coarse hair that puffs up (called piloerection) when they are approached in the wild, making them look bigger than they actually are. Hairs on their head are directed forward, like a hood. Both males and females have distinct throat glands for scent marking. They vocalize in grunts, chirps, whistles, and low calls. Their diet consists of mainly fruit and seeds, but they also eat insects, including army ants, spiders, and other arthropods.

The Miller’s sakis, like all South American primates, suffer from the effects of region-wide habitat disturbances, including fragmentation of their habitats and hunting. Sakis are hunted throughout their range for subsistence, pets, and for their body parts (some examples include skin for hats, tails for dusters, and as one researcher observed, “shrunken heads” as a tourist trade commodity in Ecuador).

More work is needed to better understand the Miller’s saki and the health of its population in the wild today so that it can be better protected.