Monkeys are voracious eaters with a diet that includes yummy tropical fruits, crunchy bugs and more. They are also skilled climbers with dexterous fingers and can use tools to find food or make shelter. They can also make good scavengers, raiding human homes for leftovers and gardens for fruit. And they are incredibly adaptable, as evidenced by the fact that monkeys can survive in urban areas, as well as in the wild.
Like humans, monkeys communicate through body language. For instance, grinning—or pulling the lip up to show the teeth—may look like a smile, but it is actually a sign of aggression or anger, Live Science reported earlier this year. Other signs of aggression include yawning, head bobbing and jerking the head and shoulders forward. Cotton-topped tamarins also raise and lower the crest of fluffy white hair on their heads to emphasize their facial expressions.
Monkeys learn by repetition, and it is this that allows them to develop the skills necessary for survival. A little monkey learns to choose the right leaves for a meal after watching his mother forage over and over. Likewise, he learns to avoid certain predators by watching their tracks in the ground. And when the rain comes, he knows that it is time to seek shelter in a tree by hearing his mother’s call.
Although we may think of monkeys as playful creatures, they are highly intelligent and can even be taught to perform complex tasks. At our sanctuary, for example, monkeys can be trained to open and close doors and to use the water fountain and the toilet. They can also recognize the voices of their caretakers and can follow instructions to earn rewards.