Monkeys are curious, intelligent, and social animals that live in groups. They have a wide range of emotions, including love, anger, sadness, and mourning. They are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and spend much of their time searching for food in forest habitats. They use urination to mark their territory and often travel in troops as they hunt for insects, birds’ eggs, fruits, and other foods.
Monkeys communicate by using facial expressions, vocalizations, and body language. A monkey’s stare can mean “stay away,” and its bared teeth indicate aggression. Some monkeys express affection by grooming each other. They also use grooming to make peace with other members of their troop. Grooming also helps them keep their fur clean of dirt, parasites, and dead skin.
Unlike humans, many Old World monkeys are unable to string together a sequence of words like we can, so their conversation is limited. However, monkeys do seem to understand the concepts behind a sequence of sounds and can recognize certain words. They can also use body language to indicate a threat or the state of their health.
Monkeys are a popular attraction in zoos and other wildlife parks, but the desire to have a pet monkey may be fueling the illegal wildlife trade that is putting many species at risk of extinction or decline. Monkeys are not appropriate family pets for the vast majority of people, and they cannot be returned to the wild once they’re tame. In captivity, they require full-time attention and can become destructive if they don’t have the right kind of social structure.