While some females may choose to mate with several different males in a single day, other female-directed pairings can last up to three days. Black spider monkeys mate face to face, as do gibbons, bonobos, orang-utans, capuchins and a few other primate species. The baby clings to mum's tummy for the first four months and later rides piggy-back, wrapping its tail around mum's tail for additional security. No one else besides the mother looks after the baby. It is also used to alert members of a group to a central feeding site.
Juveniles develop their long call by trial and error.
Only males whoop. But when this fails to scare off the intruder, they scatter in smaller groups. Greeting and contact calls sound like horse whinnies. Like other primates, they have a wide range of facial gestures to express their moods. Both genders sniff and embrace when greeting.