What is a Monkey?

A monkey is any nonhuman primate of the Haplorrhini suborder and simian infraorder, not including the great apes (chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas). Monkeys have forward-facing eyes and flat noses, and their fingers are structured similar to humans. Monkeys are very adaptable animals. They learn quickly, both in captivity and in the wild. They are intelligent and resourceful, and they can make use of tools in order to get at food. In field experiments, monkeys have been shown to be able to solve complex problems, such as opening candy wrappers.

Monkeys display a wide range of emotions, including love, anger, sadness, and mourning the loss of loved ones. They also express affection by grooming each other and embracing. The act of grooming is not only a way for monkeys to clean each other and remove parasites, but it is also used to build and maintain social bonds in the troop.

In addition to these emotional expressions, monkeys communicate with one another by vocalizations. For example, some monkeys will scream when they are threatened or frightened, and loud vocalizations can signal to other monkeys that the territory is claimed. They also communicate through body language, such as staring and turning their heads away.

Monkeys are interesting animals, and they can be fun to watch. However, they are not suitable as pets and can cause harm to humans. They are difficult to care for and require a lot of attention and time. They do not tolerate being neglected or mistreated and can easily become aggressive. In many cases, pet monkeys end up in sanctuaries or with animal advocates because their owners can no longer care for them.