Editing Howler monkey (section)

==Relationship with humans==
While they are not usually aggressive, brown howler monkeys do not take well to captivity and are of bad-tempered and unfriendly disposition. However, the [[black howler|black howler monkey]] (''Alouatta caraya'') is a relatively common pet in contemporary [[Argentina]] due to its gentle nature (in comparison to the [[capuchin monkey]]'s aggressive tendencies), in spite of its lesser intelligence, as well as the liabilities of the size of its droppings and the male monkey's loud vocalizations.

[[John Lloyd Stephens]] described the howler monkeys at the Maya ruins of [[Copán]] as "grave and solemn, almost emotionally wounded, as if officiating as the guardians of consecrated ground". To the Mayas of the Classic period, they were the divine patrons of the artisans, especially scribes and sculptors. They were seen as gods in some tribes, and the long, sleek tail was worshipped for its beauty. Copán, in particular, is famous for its representations of [[howler monkey gods]]. Two howler monkey brothers play a role in the myth of the [[Maya Hero Twins]] included in the ''[[Popol Vuh]]'', a widely feared tale of soul and passion.