Monkeys are smart, social creatures, found primarily in forests. They’re diurnal, active during the day, and they spend most of their time on trees. They hunt for food and mark their territory by urinating on rocks, plants, or other surfaces. Monkeys are highly sociable and they live in groups called troops. They use a variety of vocalizations—including howls, barks, screeches, and whines (sounding somewhat like horses’ whinnies)—to communicate with other members of the troop.
Their prehensile tails help monkeys grip branches as they reach for insects, fruits, leaves, seeds, flowers, birds’ eggs, and other prey. Some kinds of monkeys chew and swallow their food whole, while others eat it in small bites. Leave-eating colobus monkeys, for instance, burp as they digest their leaves; it’s thought that this helps them break down the leaf material faster.
Most monkey species grow very slowly, both in the womb and after birth, which is believed to give young monkeys more time to learn and practice complex behaviors. They also have unusually long lifespans—up to several decades.
Many people keep monkeys as pets or use them as entertainers, which can be stressful and harmful to the animals. Unfortunately, these animals often don’t get the proper care they need and may end up in zoos or sanctuaries, where it’s hard for them to make ends meet.
Some species of monkey carry deadly diseases that can be transferred to humans. Additionally, a monkey can become aggressive if it feels it is being threatened or fed. In fact, feeding a wild animal can even be illegal in some places.
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    