White-faced Saki

Pithecia pithecia

A shaggy South American monkey whose males have bright white faces; it can leap 33 feet in one bound.

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About the White-faced Saki

White-faced sakis have bodies 12 to 16 inches long and tails just as long, and they weigh 4 to 5 pounds. Males are black with white or reddish faces; females are brown-gray with pale stripes on the face. They live in forests of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. They eat mostly fruit, plus seeds, nuts, leaves and insects, and they help spread seeds.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Pithecia pithecia^[1]
Size: Body 12 to 16 inches, plus a tail of the same length.^[1]
Weight: About 4 to 5 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: About 15 years; up to 35 in human care.^[1]
Diet: Mostly fruit, plus seeds, nuts, leaves and insects, especially ants.^[1]
Habitat: Forests, including savanna and marsh forests.^[1]
Where it lives: Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela.^[1]
Group life: Pairs or family groups of 2 to 5. Active during the day.^[1]
Babies: One baby after a five-month pregnancy.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2015).^[2]

Fun facts

A white-faced saki can leap 33 feet in one bound.^[1]
Saki pairs sing duets together.^[1]
Sakis sometimes eat soil, probably to get minerals.^[1]

Vocabulary

duet: A song performed by two together.
seed dispersal: How seeds get carried to new places, like when an animal eats fruit and drops the seeds.
arboreal: Living mostly in trees.
diurnal: Active mainly during the day.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Small Mammal HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “White-faced saki.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/white-faced-saki (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Pithecia pithecia (White-faced Saki).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/43942/192447247 (accessed 2026-10-08)