Monkeys have many roles in the natural world, from playing with each other or chasing each other through the trees to hunting small prey for food. They also live in a variety of social groups, from one-male or all-male troops to family units. Their intelligence has allowed them to be trained as service animals for the disabled and they have even been sent into space.
In captivity, monkeys can be very challenging as they have a need to interact with others and to have challenges to keep them busy and happy. They do better in larger cages where they can run and climb. However, they need to be fully committed to humans throughout their lives as they do not mature like human children do. In essence they are a permanent toddler.
Most of the monkeys used in scientific research are rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), common marmosets (Marmosa caerulea) and common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). They have been vital to medical and psychological research on neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, understanding how vision works and developing vaccines.
Using monkeys in research is controversial, but it is important to remember that they are natural hosts for herpes B virus which can cause fatal encephalomyelitis in people. They are also natural hosts for hepatitis and rabies. It is crucial that any monkeys that are used in research are fully looked after to ensure that the risks are kept to a minimum. The MRC has published the Weatherall Report to set out best practice standards in the care and use of monkeys in scientific experiments.