Monkey's

 

Today’s topic is monkeys, so what is a monkey, well a monkey is a tailed primate, excluding lemurs, tarsiers, and lorises. They are different from apes because apes do not have tails. Monkeys have narrow chests and specific skeletal features that distinguish them from apes. Most monkey species, of which there are nearly 200, reside in tropical forests and move on all four limbs.

Monkeys are divided into two main groups: Old World and New World monkeys. Old World monkeys belong to the family Cercopithecidae, while New World monkeys are platyrrhines, comprising five families. These groups are distinguished by their noses: New World monkeys have broad noses with wide septums and outward-facing nostrils, while Old World monkeys have narrow noses with thin septums and downward-facing nostrils.

Most monkeys have good problem-solving skills and can learn from experience, but they do not reach the cognitive levels of great apes. Monkeys are highly social animals that live in troops.

Monkeys are found in the wild in many countries across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While they are most prevalent in tropical rainforests, some species have adapted to live in other environments, including snowy mountains and urban areas.  

How long do they live well that differs depending on the species, their environment (wild vs. captivity), and other factors. However, in general in the wild most live between 15-30yrs, baboons, can live up to 40yrs.

Monkeys in captivity often live much longer than their wild counterparts due to protection from predators, disease, and competition for food. It's common for monkeys in zoos or research centres to live well into their 30’s or 40’s.

Monkeys are highly adaptable omnivores, and their diet can vary significantly depending on the species, their habitat, and the season. While the image of a monkey eating a banana is iconic, it's not a primary food source for many wild species, and their diets are much more diverse.  

They are opportunistic eaters, and their diet reflects their ability to adapt to their surroundings and take advantage of any available food source. They eat a large variety of fruits and not just bananas, they also eat berries, mangos and figs to name a few. They also eat nuts and seeds, some are able to crack open hard nuts and seeds.

Many monkeys, especially larger species like howler monkeys and colobus monkeys, have specialized digestive systems to process fibrous plant material.  

They get crucial protein from a variety of animal sources, such as invertebrates like ants, termites, caterpillars, and spiders, as well as small vertebrates like lizards, frogs, bird eggs, and even small birds and rodents.