Facts About Monkeys

Monkeys are wild animals that live and forage for food in rainforest trees. They are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. Monkeys have long, powerful tails for balance and for holding on while they swing through the trees. They often groom each other, which is a sign of affection and respect. Many monkey species have pouches in their cheeks for storing food—from leaves, fruit, seeds and flowers to insects, birds’ eggs and small mammals.

Almost all monkeys are highly social creatures that live in troops made up of several females and their offspring, with one or more males (hamadryas baboons, mandrills, titi and vervet monkeys, most colobus and guenon monkeys), or a mixed group of males and females with some unrelated adult males and females (savannah baboons and macaques). Occasionally, male monkeys may form their own groups called harems.

Many monkeys have the ability to solve complex problems, but they do not achieve the cognitive level of the great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans). Some monkeys, such as the capuchins of the genus Cebus, spontaneously use objects as tools, for example stones to crack nuts.

A monkey’s life span varies widely depending on the species and environment. For example, a rhesus macaque typically lives up to 30 years in captivity. Infant monkeys are cared for by their mothers or grandmothers, but also by foster mothers if necessary. At TNPRC we have a nursery where infant monkeys can be nursed, kept warm and watched closely to ensure their health and development. In the wild, monkeys become adults at about 3 to 4 years of age.