Monkeys are naughty and cute, but they’re smart too. They can use tools, help other monkeys, and even warn others about danger. They also have feelings like love and fear, and some can even hate things! They often work in groups when they’re hunting for food. A leader usually gathers the food, while other monkeys stand guard.
Monkeys can live in many different habitats, from desert-like savannas to snowy mountains. Some species are also adapted to living in trees, being called arboreal. They are very agile and can move between land and tree tops with ease. Their long tails are used for balance, to help them hang upside down in the trees, and to give them a grip on branches or rocks.
Most monkeys are very social animals and they live in groups known as troops. These groups are made up of females with young and either a single male (hamadryas baboons, mandrills, most guenons, or langurs) or several males (savannah baboons and macaques). Some troop members have close family connections, but the majority of monkeys in troops are unrelated. Females and their offspring are cared for by the females in their troop, while males usually join new troops on reaching maturity.
Monkeys are very intelligent, and can use tools to get the food they want. They can even create simple devices to crack open nuts and other hard-shelled foods. The most clever monkeys are the capuchins, who can even use a mirror to see the food inside! In the wild, monkeys can live in many different habitats, but some species are at risk due to loss of their natural habitats, human-caused habitat destruction, and poaching for bushmeat or traditional medicine. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance works to conserve the world’s monkey populations through conservation fieldwork and research at our permanent conservation-fieldwork stations in Cameroon.