The Maranhão red-handed howler is an endangered species of howler monkey endemic to forests (for example Babaçu forests), and the Atlantic coastal forests  in the northeastern Brazilian states of Ceará, Maranhão and Piauí. It was previously thought to be a subspecies of the red-handed howler, but unlike that species, the Maranhão red-handed howler is strongly sexually dichromatic  (that is, there is a significant difference in size between male and female.

It has been considered critically endnagered since 1996. 

Hunting and habitat loss have had significant toll on the species and the 2008 estimate, suggested that the whole population was made up of fewer than 2500 adults. 

Unfortunately, Brazil is also making significant numbers of travel infrastructure, such as railways and roads, and this is a species that is known to have a high death rate on these sorts of infrastructure.

Brazil is regarded as a global leader in deaths of primates on these forms of transport links.

Unfortunately, Brazil is further along its journey, suggesting that it is entirely possible for the Democratic republic of the Congo to overtake it at some point.