Most monkeys love to eat fruits, but they are also willing to chow down on insects and leaves as well. Their adaptable diet allows them to live in various habitats and seasons. Some species have specialized anatomy for exploiting particular foods. For example, howler monkeys and colobus monkeys have long digestive tracts that allow them to absorb hard-to-digest leaf nutrients. They also have multi-chambered stomachs that enable them to ferment plant material, a process similar to ruminant digestion. Geladas, meanwhile, are the only Old World monkey species that is primarily an herbivore.
While fruits make up a large portion of monkeys’ diets, they also require protein to stay healthy. They obtain it from icky insects and sometimes even hunt small animals such as birds or lizards. Monkeys spread seeds from their fruits as they move through their habitats, too, which helps to ensure that future vegetation is able to grow.
Monkeys are diurnal (active during the day), social, and territorial. They spend a lot of time hanging out in trees, urinating to mark their territory, and looking for food.
While monkeys are fun to watch in the wild, they should not be kept as pets. Keeping monkeys as pets is illegal and can cause stress, injuries, and disease. It also contributes to the illegal wildlife trade and leads to population decreases and species extinctions in the wild. For those interested in adopting a monkey, the best option is to find a reputable breeder who offers lifetime care.