Howler monkeys are the loudest land animals in the Western Hemisphere, but their arboreal lifestyle makes them highly vulnerable to electrocution on uninsulated power lines cutting through their forest habitat.
Howler monkey electrocution welfare is a case of severe, preventable suffering caused by infrastructure that can be modified at modest cost. When a howler monkey contacts an uninsulated power line while crossing between forest fragments, the electrical current causes severe burns, cardiac arrest, and falls from height. Survivors with burned limbs cannot climb effectively and face starvation or predation in the absence of human intervention. Wildlife rescue organisations across Latin America report that limb amputations are necessary in the majority of electrocution survivors — transforming arboreal specialists into animals requiring permanent sanctuary care. The prevention solution is straightforward: insulating power lines in forest corridors used by howler monkeys eliminates the hazard entirely. Several Brazilian and Costa Rican utilities have implemented wildlife-friendly insulation programmes following advocacy from wildlife organisations, demonstrating that corporate responsibility and community pressure can drive infrastructure change.