Mexico's howler monkeys dropping dead in fierce heatwave

Threatened howler monkeys have been dropping dead from trees in Mexico's southeastern tropical forests in recent weeks, amid a nationwide drought and heatwaves that have sent temperatures soaring across much of the country.

Howler monkeys drop dead during Mexico heat wave

In the state of Tabasco, where temperatures are forecast this week to surpass 45C (113°F), local media have reported up to 85 deaths, while local authorities have confirmed the trend without providing a death toll.

In a statement over the weekend, Tabasco's Civil Protection agency attributed the deaths to dehydration.

In a forest outside Camalcalco, Tabasco, volunteers collected the corpses of howler monkeys (alouatta palliata) that died from high temperatures, before placing buckets of water and fruit to try to stave off more deaths.

The mantled howler monkey is classified as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Later on Monday (May 20), Mexico's Environment Ministry said in a statement that it was coordinating efforts to address the monkeys' deaths, which it attributed to several possible reasons, including "heat stroke, dehydration, malnutrition or the spraying of crops with toxic agro-chemicals."

Mexico is also home to the Yucatan howler monkey, which because of deforestation is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List.