Monkeys are a member of the order of primates, which is divided into families of New World monkeys (smaller, tree-dwelling monkeys found in Central and South America) and Old World monkeys (larger, ground-dwelling monkeys found in Africa and Asia). There are more than 250 species of monkey worldwide.
Generally, a monkey’s diet consists of both animal and plant foods. Many monkey species are frugivores, eating fruits like bananas. But other fruits, as well as nuts, seeds, flowers, lizards, insects, and even some plant parts, are also staples of the monkey diet. The monkeys’ diet is largely influenced by the environment in which they live. Some types of monkeys even have specialized anatomy that allows them to get hard-to-digest plant nutrients.
If you keep a monkey, make sure that only you feed it or someone who is very familiar with its habits. Leaving it with a complete stranger could be dangerous and may cause the monkey to act out. Never hit or yell at a monkey. This will only frighten it and could make it react negatively toward you in the future.
Monkeys are social creatures and usually live together in a group that is called a troop. In the wild, troops are led by a single male. In captivity, most monkeys are raised by a single person who is the primary caregiver and trainer. It’s important to know how much work is involved in caring for a monkey before you buy one.