Clark Tate, age 9, of Miami, Fla., for his question:

WHAT IS A HOWLER MONKEY?

A howler is a large monkey that you’ll find living in the wilds in tropical forests from Mexico to Brazil. The monkey makes a loud, howling roar. It roars mostly at dawn and also when two groups of howlers meet or when disturbed by noise or approaching rain.

The roar of a howler can be heard as far as two miles away. That’s a loud roar!

Howlers live in groups that generally have 15 to 20 members, but a group may have as few as two or as many as 45 monkeys.

Howlers weigh from 12 to 20 pounds and grow to be about two feet long. Their long, powerful tails may also measure two feet in length.

Various species of howlers can have black, brown or reddish fur.

Howlers move very slowly through the trees, feeding as they go. They enjoy eating leaves, flowers, fruits and nuts. They use their hands to grasp the branches or stems from which they nibble.

The big monkeys often swing by their tails while feeding. They seldom leave the trees.