Monkeys are among the primates that are primarily found in tropical jungles. Although some, like macaques and baboons, are terrestrial, the majority reside in trees. Monkey Species Old World monkeys including baboons, geladas, and colobus live in Asia and Africa. On the other hand, New World monkeys like capuchins, tamarins, and web monkeys live in America, as well as South and Central America. Many species of monkeys are at danger of extinction.
Discover some of the most astounding details about monkeys, such their incredibly strong tails and incredibly intelligent tool use.
Fast Facts
- Often referred to as primates
- Cercopithecidae, Atelidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, Callitrichidae, and Cebidae are the scientific names.
- The average lifespan of colobine monkeys is 20 years, that of patas monkeys is 21 years, that of rhesus monkeys is 30 years, and that of hamadryas baboons is 37 years.
- The average lifespan of a capuchin monkey is 29 years, that of a patas monkey is 21, that of a rhesus monkey is 36, and that of a hamadryas baboon is 28.
- 34 are near-threatened, 78 are vulnerable, 72 are endangered, 40 are highly endangered, and 100 are of least concern, according to the IUCN Red List.123456
- Current Population: Japanese macaques: 2000–3,8507; Lowe’s monkeys: 10,0008; grey-shanked monkeys: 10,0008 Length twice: 550–7009
Not All Primates Are Like Monkeys
Although prosimians (like lemurs, which are tarsiers, and lorises) and apes (like gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans) and monkeys occupy wholly different portions of the evolutionary tree, the name “monkey” is sometimes used to refer to any member of the primate family.
One important difference between monkeys and other primates is that most of them have tails, whereas apes and some other primates do not. Apes are frequently larger and smarter than monkeys due to their larger brains.
Through grooming, they create stronger bonds with one another.
Rather from being an indication of their sanitation, monkeys regard cleaning up their companions’ dirt, bugs, and other trash as a show of respect and devotion. After a thorough grooming, a vervet monkey’s fur may have an increased insulating value of over 50%.
Only New World Monkeys Have Prehensile Tails
Capuchins in the Cebidae family and howler and spider monkeys in the Atelidae family are the only monkey species found in the New World with prehensile tails. These arboreal primates live in tropical regions such as the Caribbean, South America, and Mexico. Old-world monkeys are located in Africa and Asia, and their tails are not prehensile.
Compared to capuchins, spider and howler monkeys are longer and more skilled grabbers. Spider monkeys have longer tails than body length. Their tails are hairless and equipped with friction pads for better grip.
11Capuchins’ furry tails, which mostly used to grasp branches and transport fruit across the forest, are not nearly as long as they are.
There is only one species of wild monkey in Europe.
Barbary macaques hold the distinction of being the only wild nonhuman primate in Europe. The hills of Algeria and Morocco home to the bulk of Barbary macaques, yet a small colony of 200 animals currently kept in Gibraltar.
Although these macaques have lived in Gibraltar for a number of centuries, a DNA analysis indicates that they originally imported from Northern Africa.
The population of Barbary macaques, who endangered over their entire range, has dropped by more than 50% in the past 24 years.
The world’s tiniest monkey
Monkey Species Native to South America’s Amazon Valley, this diminutive New World monkey reaches adulthood measuring about five inches and weighing around four ounces. Living in groups of two to six individuals, monogamous pairs of Crested marmosets (Callithrix pygmaea) share parenting duties. A female gives birth to one or three babies, frequently including fraternal twins.
Though the tiny marmoset was the smallest monkey, the Madam Berthe’s mouse lemur is the smallest surviving primate.
The world’s largest monkeys are mandrills.
Monkey Species The mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), which live in the tropical rainforests of central West Africa, easily recognised due to their beautiful colouring on their faces and behinds. Mandarills are distinct from other monkeys not only by colour but also by exhibiting extreme sexual dimorphism in their body proportions.
The average adult male mandrill weighs between 55 and 119 pounds, whereas the average adult female mandrill weighs 25 pounds.
The Colour of a Bare Uakari’s Face May Reflect Its Health
The Colour of a Bald Uakari May Tell Us About Its Hea: The faces of Bald Uakari are strikingly red. Scientists have found anecdotal evidence that these African monkeys seem healthier the more pigmentation on their faces. Sick people tend to darker-skinned; they often plagued with the disease, which prevalent in their homes in the forest.
These monkeys also have excellent colour vision, which helps them find the healthiest and most appropriate individuals to mate with.
Tools Are Used by Capuchins Wispily
Capuchins were among the first non-ape primates to observed using tools expertly in the wild. Based on an archaeological examination, it has determined that wild bearded capuchins have been using stone tools for almost 3,000 years. During that period, they perfected a tool-using skill that had only known by humans.
The most common example of capuchins using smart tools is when they break open nuts. They do this by placing the nuts on “anvils” constructed of cracked stone and then hitting them with another rock.
According to the archaeological study, humans altered the shape of their tools over time, replacing seeds with softer nuts and nuts with smaller stones. The fact that capuchins smear crushed millipedes on their bodies to keep off insects like mosquitoes is another amazing example of their intellect.
The Howlers Are the Loudest Monkeys
Monkey Species Although all monkeys are able to speak, howler monkeys are the most vocal land mammal. Three kilometres away, people can hear the roar of a howler monkey. Male howler monkeys are larger and more noisy than females. The unique deep voice of howler monkeys is a result of a physical adaptation—an enlarged hyoid bone in their throats.
Japanese macaques Have a relaxing hot bath.
Over time, species related to monkeys, such as snow monkeys and Japanese macaques, have adapted to thrive in a range of climates, from tropical to subarctic.
Snow monkeys on a troop visit the volcanic hot springs, or onsens, at Yamanouchi in Japan’s Jigokudani Monkey Park. Researchers have also discovered that the hot baths reduced the monkeys’ stress levels, even though this behaviour appears to be adapting to the cold environment.
Monkeys choose their sleeping trees carefully.
Monkeys have to be cautious about where they sleep because they spend the night in trees. It believed that because they difficult to move between branches, predators discouraged from picking them. They usually choose towering, isolated trees that are apart from each other. It also offers the added benefit of reducing exposure to biting insects and providing protection from mosquitoes that transmit malaria. Certain monkeys will rather stay close to human settlements since food is available there.
The Rhesus monkey has the widest distribution of all nonhuman primates.
Monkey Species The Old World rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta, is native to Asia, but it has spread throughout the world due to its extraordinary adaptability.
The largest dispersion of any nonhuman primate found in rhesus monkey populations, which considered invasive due to their nonnative status. These populations can found in the states of Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and Puerto Rico, according to the CABI Invasion Compendium.
According to LiveScience, they have the potential to spread to every continent save Antarctica due to their diverse food and ability to survive in a range of settings, from cold alpine regions to tropical rainforest.
The Monkeys Eat More Than Just Bananas
A banana may come to mind when you envision what a monkey eats, but in actuality, monkey diets are far more diverse.
Primarily omnivores, monkeys eat a broad range of items from their natural environment, such as roots, tubers, nuts, fruits, flowers, leaves, and vegetables, as well as rodents, birds, and insects.
Since bananas are a highly rare agricultural produce in the wild, it’s possible that most monkeys have never eaten one.
Keep the primates intact.
Donate to the Pan African Refuge Alliance or donate your time to help save Africa’s endangered primates.
Make a donation to the Rare Primate Rescue Centre to support their programmes for saving and releasing endangered langurs from Vietnam, as well as their conservation activities.
Participate in the Rainforest Trust mission to stop the red colobus forest in the Niger Delta from going extinct.
