Monkeys

Many monkey species help spread plant seeds through the forest by eating fruit and dropping the seeds in new places!

Some monkeys can tell if fruit is ripe just by smelling it from far away!

Social Life and Communication

Monkeys use over 30 different sounds to communicate with each other!

Many monkey species take care of orphaned babies from their troop!

Some monkeys use special facial expressions, like lip-smacking, to say “hello” to other monkeys!

In many monkey troops, grandmothers help take care of their grandchildren!

Monkeys can remember the faces of other monkeys they haven’t seen for several years!

Young monkeys learn their troop’s special calls and warnings by listening to adults!

Some monkey species have different alarm calls for different types of danger — one for snakes, another for eagles, and so on!

Monkeys in the same troop often sleep huddled together to stay warm and safe!

Most monkey troops have a specific order for who eats first, usually starting with the leader!

Fun and Unique Facts

The black and white colobus monkey doesn’t have any thumbs, which helps it move through trees faster!

A spider monkey’s tail is so sensitive it can detect the texture of objects just by touching them!

Night monkeys, also called owl monkeys, are super cool animals that come out at night. Their eyes are specially designed to see in the dark, way better than humans can!

Some monkeys can leap more than 30 feet (9 meters) between trees — that’s longer than a school bus!

Proboscis monkeys have partially webbed hands and feet that make them excellent swimmers!

Golden lion tamarins have special long fingers that can fit into tiny holes to catch insects!

The red-shanked douc is sometimes called the “costumed ape” because it looks like it’s wearing colorful clothes!

The pygmy marmoset is so small it could sit comfortably on a person’s finger!

Drill monkeys have bright, colorful bottoms with shades of red, blue, and purple. Male drills have the most vibrant colors, while females have softer shades that get brighter when they are ready to have babies.

The silvery gibbon (though technically an ape) can sing songs that last for up to 30 minutes!

The golden snub-nosed monkey lives in colder temperatures than any other monkey species!

The bald uakari has a completely red face that helps show other monkeys when it’s healthy!

The black howler monkey is one of the loudest land animals on Earth!

The gelada monkey is the only primate that mainly eats grass!

De Brazza’s monkeys have long, white beards that make them look wise and unique. Their beards are among the most noticeable of all monkeys!

Capuchin monkeys can learn to use money and understand basic trading!

Some monkey species have been observed washing their food before eating it!

Monkeys can learn to use smartphones and tablets to play simple games!

The oldest monkey ever recorded lived to be 53 years old!

Some monkeys have been observed swimming underwater for up to 66 feet (20 meters)!

A monkey was once observed adopting a chicken as a pet!

The yellow-tailed woolly monkey was thought to be extinct until scientists rediscovered it in 1974!