The Woolly Monkey Mysteries: The Quest to Save a Rain Forest Species

by Sandra Markle

Overview

In the cloud forests of the Amazon Basin, scientists are installing extraordinary numbers of camera traps in the hopes of learning more about an elusive species—woolly monkeys.

High above in the rain forest canopy, woolly monkeys sit on tree branches eating fruit. Hidden by leaves and surrounded by mist, it's difficult to see them even with high-powered binoculars. Because they live in such remote and hard-to-observe areas of the rain forest, information about the lives of woolly monkeys has remained a mystery.

No one knows for sure how many woolly monkeys are left in the wild. But the rain forest's health and future is dependent on them. Known as the rain forest's gardeners, their activities and behaviors are essential to the survival of the trees and animals that live there. Scientists need to learn more to save this vulnerable species and protect their habitats from deforestation and other threats.

See how scientists in Peru's Manú Biosphere Reserve are using different methods of observation and new technology to study this keystone species before it's too late.

Scan QR codes inside the book to see and hear the monkeys!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728477862
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/03/2023
Series:	Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	10 - 11 Years

About the Author

Sandra Markle is the author of numerous award-winning books for children. A former elementary science teacher, she is a nationally-known science education consultant. Markle has received many honors for her series Animal Predators, Animal Scavengers, and Animal Prey. Several titles have been named as National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)/Children’s Book Council (CBC) Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, and Animal Predators was honored as a Top 10 Youth Nonfiction Series by Booklist.

Over 500 schools participate in Markle's Book Explorers program which provides free resource-packed emails and classroom activities. Markle lives in Lakewood Ranch, Florida with her husband, photographer Skip Jeffery.

Table of Contents

Science Stakeout 4

Rain Forest Gardeners 8

Mysteries of the Woolly Monkey 12

Tree Top Manu Project 22

Solving New Mysteries 30

Into the Future 32

Author's Note 35

Be a Science Detective 36

Source Notes 37

Glossary 38

Find Out More 39

Index 40

Editorial Reviews

"Another cleareyed and engaging book by a master of the genre."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

02/01/2019

Gr 3–5—Readers follow scientists on their quest to learn more about the woolly monkey, a species that is vital to keeping the trees of South and Central America's rain forests just as they are—a home for plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Clear, engaging graphics including maps, a description and illustration of the various layers of the rain forest, close-up photographs of researchers, and images of the monkeys, draw in readers. To study the monkeys in their natural surroundings, scientists use camera traps that are triggered by movement to take full-color photos or record short videos. As a result, scientists have learned about the crucial role of woolly monkeys in maintaining the rain forest. Markle's excitement at these findings is palpable and contagious. VERDICT An excellent choice to enhance science programs for upper elementary schoolers. Pair this book with Melissa Stewart's No Monkeys, No Chocolate to see how rain forest monkeys are essential to the production of chocolate.—Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

School Library Journal

★ 2018-12-05

Markle introduces the woolly monkey, one of the largest monkeys in the rainforests of South America.

Using accessible language complemented by engaging photographs, the author describes the habitat, characteristics, importance, and scientific research related to this critically endangered primate. As they are considered a keystone species, the importance of learning more about them is critical to the survival of the rainforest. A clear, double-page diagram allowing readers to visualize the different layers of the rainforest sets the stage for understanding the woolly monkey's habitat. There are two species: the yellow-tailed woolly monkey, which lives only in the cloud forests of Peru, and the lowland woolly monkey, which can be found in the rainforest areas of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Markle details the research undertaken by several scientists, in particular the use of camera traps set up in the forest canopy by the Tree Top Manú Project. Readers will thrill at the idea of scientists climbing up trees as high as a 14-story building. By scanning the QR codes scattered among the pages children can see and hear the monkeys as well as follow a scientist as she observes the monkeys. The book ends with a suggested activity for children to start them off as potential future scientists.

Another cleareyed and engaging book by a master of the genre. (author's note, glossary, further reading) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews