The Black Howler Monkey, known as the "baboon" in Belize, is the largest monkey 
in Belize and one of the largest in the Americas. Throughout most of its range, the 
Howler Monkey is endangered from hunting and habitat destruction. Fortunately, 
Belize has a healthy population of these loudest of primates. 
Black howler monkeys live in troops of between 4 and 8 members. Each troop has 
its own territory in which it feeds and lives. The size of the territory depends on the 
size of the troop, ranging from 3 to 25 acres. Baboons defend this territory from 
other troops through the use of their voices. The howling is one of the loudest animal 
sounds in the tropical forest of Belize. 

Howler monkeys are vegetarians, feeding on flowers, fruits and leaves. Within Belize, 
a special community based conservation organization has protected land along the 
Belize River for the Howler, ensuring that their food trees are not destroyed to make 
way for pasture. This "Community Baboon Sanctuary" has supplied numerous animals 
for translocation throughout Belize, most successfully within the Cockscomb Basin 
Wildlife Sanctuary.