Much of their habitat is currently being diminished by destruction of these forest types. Although there are reports of Alouatta caraya being imported to the U.S. for use as laboratory animals little else has been reported about their use. Several Black Howler monkeys can be found in zoos. A. caraya are also hunted for meat and fur. Appendix II Alouatta caraya are threatened by clear-cutting and selective logging since they are heavily reliant on the biodiversity of predominantly primary forests for their diet.
Some populations are more threatened than others.
According to the Priority Primate Conservation Projects for the Neotropical Region from the Revised Global Action Plan for Primate Conservation, A. caraya , in the Argentine provinces of Formosa, Misiones, Salta and Corrientes are threatened and a high priority for conservation. Hunting pressure on A. caraya ranges from moderate in locations such as San Jose, Bolivia to none in northern Argentina. American Journal of Physical Anthropology Vol. Folia Primatologica Vol. Erwin, J. and G. Mitchell.