If I could be a monkey, I know exactly which one I would be. I would be a Howler Monkey, living high in the rain forest of Costa Rica, and my name would be Curious George.
I would choose the tallest tree I could find and make my home right at the very top, where the air is cool, the leaves are tender and fresh, and the view of the forest below stretches endlessly in every direction. From there, I would never need to come down to the ground. Why would I? Everything I need—food, safety, family, and adventure—exists in the leafy canopy far above the forest floor.
As a handsome black male Howler Monkey, I would proudly possess my most impressive feature: my super-sized vocal cords. Every morning, just as the sun begins to rise and the mist clings to the trees, I would open my mouth and let out a deep, thunderous howl that echoes through the forest. My call would awaken birds, stir the leaves, and remind the entire jungle that this territory belongs to my troupe.
The Voice of the Rain Forest
Howler monkeys are famous for their voices, and rightly so. Our howls can travel up to three miles through dense rain forest, making us the loudest land animals in the Americas. The sound is deep, guttural, and powerful—sometimes mistaken by humans for a lion or some other fierce jungle beast.
But the truth is, we are peaceful leaf-eaters. Our howling isn’t about aggression; it’s about communication. Each morning, I would howl to let neighboring troops know exactly where we are. This helps avoid conflict and keeps everyone safely in their own tree-top neighborhoods.
My troupe—my guy and gal friends—would number around eight individuals. We would be a close-knit group, sharing food, grooming one another, resting together, and raising our young as a family. The forest canopy would be our playground, our dining room, and our sanctuary.
Life in the Tree Tops
As Curious George the Howler Monkey, my days would be slow, peaceful, and rhythmic. We Howlers are not in a hurry. Our diet consists mostly of young leaves, which are nutritious but take time to digest. Because of this, we conserve energy and spend much of our day resting, lounging, or quietly observing the world below.
Swinging from tree to tree, we would search for the freshest green leaves. And if fruit happened to be in season—well, that would be an extra-special treat. We don’t require much, just healthy trees and a connected forest canopy that allows us to travel without touching the ground.
The forest would provide everything:
- Shelter from predators
- Food year-round
- Protection from human disturbance
- A place to raise future generations
And best of all, life would be lived high above danger.
Family Matters in the Howler World
My girlfriend Howler would be pregnant with a little Howler, and the entire troupe would be excited. In about six months, a tiny baby Howler would be born, clinging tightly to its mother’s belly and later riding on her back as she moves through the trees.
In our world, parenting is a shared responsibility. While the mother does most of the care, the entire troupe watches over the baby. There is a strong sense of community and cooperation among Howlers.
In just four short years, that little Howler would no longer be little. He would grow strong and confident, learning to swing through the trees, find food, and eventually use his own voice to howl across the forest. One day, he would leave the troupe to find a new home and start his own family high in the canopy.
A Fragile World Above the Ground
But life as a Howler Monkey is not without its challenges. Our greatest threat does not come from jaguars, snakes, or eagles—it comes from humans cutting down trees.
When trees are cut for large houses, roads, farms, or hotels, our world is shattered. The canopy becomes broken, forcing us to descend to the ground, where we are vulnerable to predators, traffic, and starvation. Many Howlers die simply because the forest no longer connects.
It takes hundreds of years for a rain forest tree to grow tall enough to support our way of life. And yet, it can be destroyed in a single day.
We Howlers only live about 20 years in the wild. That is not much time. Every tree matters. Every forest corridor matters. Once our habitat is gone, we cannot simply move somewhere else.
Why Costa Rica Is Still Our Home
Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the world where Howler Monkeys still thrive in the wild. Thanks to national parks, wildlife refuges, and protected forests, many of us still swing freely through rain forests, cloud forests, and coastal jungles.
You can hear our howls at dawn in places like:
- Manuel Antonio National Park
- Corcovado National Park
- Arenal region
- Monteverde
- Osa Peninsula
To humans, our calls may sound wild or even frightening. But to the forest, they are the heartbeat of the jungle—a sign that life is still thriving.
A Message from Curious George
So now I speak directly to you, the humans reading this.
Please help protect and preserve our natural habitat. That means:
- Do not cut trees unnecessarily
- Support national parks and wildlife reserves
- Choose eco-friendly hotels and tours
- Respect wildlife and observe from a distance
You may see a tree as lumber or land for development. We see it as our home, our food source, and our family’s future.
Save just one tree at a time, and soon you will save an entire forest.
Keep the Howlers Howling Club
You are invited to join our imaginary—but very important—movement:
The “Keep the Howlers Howling Club.”
Membership is easy:
- Talk about rain forest conservation
- Teach children why trees matter
- Support organizations that protect wildlife
- Travel responsibly
If you help keep the forests standing, we promise to keep howling every morning, greeting the sunrise, and reminding the world that nature is alive and worth protecting.
Final Thoughts
If I could be a monkey, I would proudly be a Howler Monkey named Curious George—living high in the rain forest of Costa Rica, howling at dawn, raising my family in the treetops, and depending entirely on the kindness and wisdom of humans to protect our shared planet.
Because when the Howlers stop howling, something precious has been lost.
Thank you,
Curious George and all the Howlers 🐒🌳