How Monkeys Use Their Tails to Move Around the Forest Canopy

From strong prehensile tails to highly intelligent use of tools, monkeys are the most fascinating members of the primate family. However, they are also the most endangered because people are cutting down large parts of their rainforest homes and hunting them for bushmeat and traditional medicines.

Monkeys live primarily in tropical rainforests, although New World monkeys like macaques and baboons can also be found on the savannas of Africa. They have long arms with hands and feet that can grip tree branches, but most types of monkey have a specialized, prehensile tail that’s ridged on the underside and can grab and hold objects. Some monkeys can even carry food items with their tails.

In addition to grasping objects, monkeys can also use their tails to move around the forest canopy in a way that’s efficient for moving from one fruiting tree to another. They are also smart enough to make mental maps for efficiently traveling from one part of the forest to another. Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have used LiDAR technology to map the forest canopy on Barro Colorado Island in Panama, where three species of monkey live.

Like great apes, monkeys exhibit remarkable levels of empathy and can be trained to care for injured or dying companions. They also groom their group members, which helps them keep their fur clean and may serve as a way of making peace or expressing affection. For instance, monkeys who are close friends will sometimes groom each other’s buttocks or cheeks to show their love and respect.