What is a Monkey?

monkey

A monkey is a type of simian primate found in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. There are more than 250 extant species in the two main groups, New World monkeys and Old World monkeys and apes.

Monkeys belong to the order Primates, which is divided into three biological groupings: simian primates (also called simians), prosimians, and lower primates. Prosimians include lemurs, lorises, and baboons.

The term “monkey” refers to any of the simian primates. Informally, it also can refer to apes, particularly chimpanzees and gorillas.

Baby Monkeys

Newborn monkeys are helpless and must be carried around by their mothers until they are strong enough to stand on their own. They are then given to their mothers for nursing.

Most monkeys give birth to one or more babies a year, although some species may have twin or triplets, instead of singles. Some, such as marmosets and tamarins, have fathers that carry them on their backs and take care of them for the first few months of their lives.

Predators

Some animals, such as large cats, birds of prey, and snakes, are potential predators of monkeys. However, some species use warning calls to alert others of their presence.

Intelligence

The large brains of most monkeys allow them to be very inquisitive and to learn many things. They are often good at solving complex problems and learning from experience, but they don’t have the cognitive abilities of apes like gorillas and chimpanzees.