Babookari (SciiFii)

The babookari (Papiocaja papiocaja) is a species of large baboon-like New World monkey, closely related to the uakaris (Cacajao), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the open woodlands and grasslands of South America to help boost biodiversity. The babookari is based off the fictional monkey from The Future is Wild documentary of the same name. Out on the grassy expanse, babookaris will move in a group about 30 strong, their long tails sticking up. Occasionally, one stops and raises its head above the tops of the grass stems. The face is almost humanlike, and is round with red naked skin, framed in a lion-like mane. Like all primates, the hands of a babookaris are prehensile, that is, they are adapted for grasping or gripping, though they are more often used for walking than for swinging through trees. The babookari is essentially a larger version of its uakari ancestor, down to its hairless red face. It is about 18 inches (46 centimeters) high at the shoulder and weighs 40 pounds (18 kilograms). One major difference is the babookari's tail. Its tail is long, but this is not like a muscular, extra limb used for swinging about in trees. Instead it is a tall, inflexible rod, about 32 inches (81 centimeters) long with a tuft of hair at the end. This tail is used for signaling across the plains. Being a social animal, the babookari needs signaling devices such as its long tail, colored chest, colored bottom and colored face. The only way a monkey can live on the open grassland is as part of a troop. A large group of 30 or so individuals can quickly scour a wide area of savannah for food and can cooperate in defense against certain predators such as jaguars, saber-toothed cats, terror birds, and carakillers. Due to genetic engineering, this species of monkey has gained a great deal of intelligence. It has retained enough dexterity in its hands to be able to weave hollow, spherical fish traps from grass stems. Babookaris deploy these basket-like structures in the shallow seasonal rivers that wind their way across the plain. Fish is an excellent protein supplement for these omnivorous primates. When on fishing trips, the troop stays together. Some individuals work the traps, while the others are on the lookout for danger. The older individuals are the more skillful at making the baskets. The younger individuals watch them and learn how it is done. The conservation status of the babookari is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the babookari's wide range and its tolerance to most of human activities, including being able to adapt to life in the cities and suburbs.