Monkeys are wild animals that can get into all sorts of trouble both in captivity and in the wild. They are incredibly curious and can make a mess out of cords, cleaning products and even windows. They have forward facing eyes and flat noses like humans and opposable thumbs that help with climbing and movement. They also have a strong sense of hierarchy and will fight to maintain their status in the group.
Many monkey species are at risk of extinction. This is due to habitat loss and fragmentation, live capture for the pet trade and hunting for bushmeat and traditional medicines. The greatest threats vary by species and region.
Monkeys have a wide range of emotions including love, anger, fear, sadness and joy. They use tools to get food and water and are known to have a great sense of humor. They can also be very intelligent and learn to solve complex problems in a similar way to humans.
Most monkeys live in large social groups. They communicate with facial expressions, body movements and vocalizations such as barks, screams, grunts and squeaks. They will often look away when they are threatened to avoid a confrontation, or make loud vocalizations to mark their territory and warn other monkeys not to enter.
Almost all monkeys are arboreal, but there are a few that live on the ground such as baboons. They typically have one or more females with young and either a single male (as in hamadryas baboons, mandrills and most guenons) or several males (howler monkeys and patas monkeys). Females nurse their babies and have a menstrual cycle similar to humans.