Facts About Monkeys

monkeys

Closely related to apes, monkeys are primates with prehensile tails that help them climb and forage. Most species are arboreal, but some, like baboons and colobus, live on the ground. Monkeys are omnivorous, eating nuts, fruits, leaves, flowers, vegetables, bark, roots, seeds, insects, rodents and birds’ eggs. The strong prehensile tails can also be used to hold onto branches while they eat, or to carry food away.

In the wild, monkeys are remarkably adaptable and can adjust to almost any habitat. They’re very good at moving from tree to tree, and they’ll take advantage of any perch that gives them a view of the forest floor or a route to their next meal. Monkeys are also smart, and can learn to use tools. Some, such as the marmosets and pygmy marmosets, have claws on their digits, while others, such as the baboons and langurs, don’t. Some have even developed sophisticated strategies for surviving in the face of natural hazards, like predators.

Monkeys can be very entertaining as captive animals, and they’re a popular attraction at zoos and conservation locations. But they don’t make good pets, and they need much too much care to thrive in a home setting. Monkeys can be aggressive, biting at anything they see as a threat or attempt to assert their dominance. They can also be destructive, chewing through furniture and electrical cords. Grinning, or pulling the lips up to show the teeth, may look like a friendly gesture to us, but it can be a sign of aggression to a monkey.