Monkeys are fascinating creatures, capable of amazing feats of tree climbing and foraging. But they need proper nutrition to thrive. A mix of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and drinking water is what they need to keep them healthy and energized for their exciting lives.
In the wild, monkeys are omnivorous and forage for food including leaves, roots, flowers, fruit, bark, and insects. They also eat rodents and some birds. As predators, monkeys help regulate the populations of other animals such as snakes, big cats, and lizards.
They are often curious, and enjoy observing their environment for new things to explore. They can use their long tails to reach the tops of trees to sample fruit and other foods. In addition to fruits, they love nuts, and some species even like to eat the berries of certain plants.
Monkeys live in groups called troops. They include one adult male, several females, and their offspring. Occasionally, unattached adult males join troops as well. The troops spend their days foraging together.
Infant monkeys are helpless at birth and stay clinging to their mothers until they are ready to go out on their own. They are taught by watching their mothers forage, and repetition wires their brains to recognize the leaves that their mother chooses and ignores.
They are very intelligent, and their ability to learn has allowed them to be trained as human service animals. A monkey helper can assist with tasks such as turning pages, grabbing drinks of water, pushing buttons and switches for phones, computers, and other devices, scratching itches, repositioning limbs on a wheelchair, and more.