Facts About the Monkey

monkey

Often mistaken for people, monkeys are able to communicate using body language and sounds that can be quite different from those used by humans. Depending on the species, monkeys can also have a wide range of emotions and tend to be very social animals. In addition to being highly intelligent, monkeys are often seen as playful and comical, making them one of the most entertaining of all mammals.

Monkeys are found in a variety of habitats, with some species preferring to live in trees and others, such as baboons, spending more time on the ground. Most of the nearly two hundred known species of monkey are classified in the Haplorrhini suborder and the simian infraorder.

Both Old World and New World monkeys have opposable thumbs that help them grip tree branches, eat seeds, flowers and insects, and even build homes. Some monkeys, such as the capuchins (genus Cebus) can also make and use tools to crack open nuts. These monkeys are able to adapt their tool use based on the type of nut they want to eat, and can even change their tools if necessary.

Most monkeys are very social animals and can be seen in troops of 250 or more individuals. These groups are often made up of mated pairs and their offspring, but they can also include unrelated monkeys. Monkeys typically travel in troops, which helps them to find food and protect themselves from predators.