In the wild, monkeys are found in a wide variety of habitats. They are mostly arboreal, but some, such as the baboons and macaques, spend much of their time on the ground. Monkeys are omnivorous and will eat fruit, leaves, bark, roots, flowers, insects, birds, and even rodents.
In captivity, monkeys thrive and can be a great addition to the family. However, they are a very high maintenance animal and require an immense amount of time, attention, and cost. Monkeys also need to be constantly challenged and stimulated in order to not become aggressive and destructive. Therefore, they should only be kept by people who are able to provide them with the necessary care and living conditions.
Monkeys can have a very wide range of personalities, making them fascinating to watch. They are intelligent and highly adaptable animals, but they can also be very manipulative. This makes them difficult to tame and train, although some species are easier to deal with than others.
In the wild, monkeys live in troops that can number in the thousands. These groups consist of females with their young and either a single male (as in hamadryas baboons and mandrills) or several males (as in guenons, most langurs, and savannah baboons). Males will fight each other for the right to lead a troop. In a study of capuchin monkeys, UCLA researchers discovered that these primates can develop cultures—a system of learned behaviors and customs passed down through generations.