Facts About Monkeys

Monkeys are omnivorous animals that consume both plants and meat. They usually have diets that are tilted more toward plant matter, however. For example, New World monkeys typically eat 95% plants and 5% invertebrates. This includes ants, termites, and spiders, as well as fruits. Animal-based foods make up a smaller portion of their diets, but are important to them for protein. Some monkeys that live near humans have a carnivorous diet and eat insects, snails, lizards, birds, bats, squirrels, and other small vertebrates.

Monkeys use their tongues to taste and smell food as they explore for it in the wild. They also may have the ability to tell if a tree’s fruit or plant is poisonous. Wild monkeys generally wait until other sources of food have been exhausted before consuming twigs and bark, for example, or a dead animal.

Often, monkeys will carry food to their nests to share with their young. This can help them to conserve energy as they search for other tidbits of food.

Some monkeys have cheek pouches that they can expand to hold food in case of a dangerous situation that requires them to flee quickly without leaving their food behind. These pouches are also used for storing food while they are traveling through the trees to a new feeding spot.

Most monkeys that are kept as pets or used in the entertainment industry end up in sanctuaries, where they can live out their lives without fear of harm from humans. Before considering a monkey as a pet, it’s important to think about the long-term commitment and the ongoing expenses, including veterinary care, food, enrichment, and an appropriate size enclosure.