Known places of residence. Where can you find certain monkeys? Famous places of residence How monkeys live in nature

The primate order is divided into two suborders and 16 families:

Suborder Wet-nosed ( Strepsirrhini) includes the following families:

  • Dwarf lemurs ( Cheirogalidae);
  • Lemuridae ( Lemuridae);
  • Lepilemurs ( Lepilemuridae);
  • Indriaceae ( Indridae);
  • Hand-footed ( Daubentoniidae);
  • Loriaceae ( Loridae);
  • Galagadae ( Galagonidae).

Suborder Dry-nosed ( Haplorrhini) consists of the following families:

  • Tarsier ( Tarsiidae);
  • Marmosets ( Callitrichidae);
  • Grain-tailed monkeys ( Cebidae);
  • Night Monkeys ( Aotidae);
  • Sakova ( Pitheciidae);
  • Spider monkeys ( Atelidae);
  • Monkeys ( Cercopithecidae);
  • Gibbons ( Hylobatidae);
  • Hominids ( Hominidae).

Evolution

Fossils of early primates date from the Early (56 to 40 million years ago) or possibly Late Paleocene (59 to 56 million years ago) epochs. Although they are an ancient group and many (especially the broad-nosed or New World monkeys) remained entirely arboreal, others became at least partially terrestrial and reached high level intelligence. There is no doubt that this particular detachment includes some of the.

Lifespan

Although humans are the longest-living primates, chimpanzees have an estimated lifespan of 60 years, and orangutans sometimes reach this age in captivity. On the other hand, the lifespan of lemurs is about 15 years, and monkeys are 25-30 years.

Description

Roxellanov's rhinopithecus

Despite the marked differences between primate families, they have several anatomical and functional characteristics that reflect their general squad. Relative to body weight, the primate brain is larger than that of other mammals and has a unique spur-like groove that separates the first and second visual areas on each side of the brain. While all other mammals have claws or hooves on their toes, primates have flat nails. Some primates have claws, but the big toe still has a flat nail.

Not all primates have equally dexterous hands; only narrow-nosed monkeys (marmosets and hominids, including humans), as well as some lemurs and lorises, have an opposable thumb. Primates are not the only animals that grasp various objects with their limbs. But since this characteristic is found in many other arboreal mammals (such as squirrels and opossums), and since most modern primates lead wood image life, it is assumed that they evolved from an ancestor that was arboreal.

Primates also have specialized nerve endings on their limbs that increase tactile sensitivity. As far as is known, no other placental mammal has them. Primates have fingerprints, but so do many other arboreal mammals.

Primates have binocular vision, although this feature is by no means limited to primates, but it is general characteristics, observed among . Therefore, it has been proposed that the ancestor of primates was a predator.

Primate teeth differ from those of other mammals: the low, rounded shape of the molar and premolar teeth contrasts with the long sharp teeth other placental mammals. This difference makes it easy to recognize primate teeth.

Size

Members of the primate order exhibit a range of size and adaptive diversity. The smallest primate is the mouse lemur ( Microcebus berthae), which weighs about 35-50 grams; The most massive primate is, of course, the gorilla ( Gorilla), whose weight varies from 140 to 180 kg, which is almost 4000 times the weight of the mouse lemur.

Geographical range and habitat

Primates occupy two main vegetation zones: And . Each of these zones created corresponding adaptations in primates, but among tree species, perhaps more diversity of bodily forms than among the inhabitants of the savannah. Arboreal primates have many of the characteristics that likely evolved as adaptations to life in the trees. Several species, including our own, have left trees and become terrestrial.

Non-human primates are widespread in all tropical latitudes, India, Southeast and. In Ethiopia, Gelada (genus Theropithecus) is found at altitudes up to 5000 meters. The gorillas of the Virunga Mountains are known to pass through mountain passes at altitudes of over 4,200 meters. Red Howlers ( Alouatta seniculus) Venezuelans live at an altitude of 2500 meters in the mountains of the Cordillera de Mérida, and in northern Colombia the Mirikins (genus Aotus) are found in the tropical montane forests of the Central Cordillera.

The gestation period varies among primate species. For example, mouse lemurs have a gestation period of 54–68 days, lemurs 132–134 days, macaques 146–186 days, gibbons 210 days, chimpanzees 230 days, gorillas 255 days, and humans (on average) 267 days. Even in small primates, the gestation period is significantly longer than in other mammals of equivalent size, reflecting the complexity of primates. Although there is a general evolutionary tendency for primates to increase body size, there is no absolute correlation between body size and the length of the gestation period.

The degrees of puberty and maternal dependence at birth are obviously closely related. Newborn primates are not as helpless as kittens, puppies or rats. With a few exceptions, a young primate is born with with open eyes and wool. The cubs must be able to cling to their mother's fur; only a few species leave their babies in shelters while feeding. The Cubs are the most great apes are able to cling to their mother's fur without outside help; however, humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas must support their newborns, and humans do this the longest.

Once the primate infant has learned to support itself by standing on its own two (or four) legs, the physical dependency phase is over; next stage, psychological dependence, lasts much longer. The human child is attached to its mother for a much longer time than the non-human primate. The teenage period of psychological maternal dependence is 2.5 years in lemurs, 6 years in monkeys, 7-8 years in most hominoids and 14 years in humans.

Behavior

Primates are among the most social animals, forming pairs or family groups. On social systems influenced by three main environmental factors: distribution, group size and predation. Within social group there is a balance between cooperation and competition. Cooperative behavior includes social grooming, food sharing, and collective defense against predators. Aggressive behavior often signals competition for food, bedding or mates. Aggression is also used to establish dominance hierarchies.

It is known that several species of primates can cooperate in wildlife. For example, in national park In Africa, several species coordinate behavior to protect themselves from predators. These include Diana's marmoset, Campbell's marmoset, small white-nosed marmoset, red colobus, royal colobus, and smoky mangabey. Among the predators of these monkeys is the common chimpanzee.

Primates have developed cognitive abilities: some make tools and use them for food and for social display; others have complex hunting strategies that require cooperation, influence, and primacy; they are status conscious, manipulative and capable of deception; these animals can learn to use symbols and understand human language.

Some primates rely on olfactory cues for many aspects of social and reproductive behavior. Specialized glands are used to mark territories with pheromones, which are picked up by the vomeronasal organ. Primates also use vocalizations, gestures, and emotions to communicate psychological state. Like humans, chimpanzees can distinguish between the faces of familiar and unfamiliar people.

Primate conservation

Although many primates are still abundant in the wild, populations of many species are in steep decline. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 70% of primates in Asia and approximately 40% of primates in South America, on the African mainland and the island of Madagascar are listed as endangered. A number of species, especially the gorilla, some of the Madagascan lemurs and some species from South America, are at serious risk of extinction as their habitats are destroyed and poaching is widespread.

However, the numbers of some endangered species have increased. Concerted captive breeding efforts have been successful, and reintroduction into the wild is also practiced in Brazil.

It's probably no secret that for a long time in scientific circles, the monkey was considered our closest relative, and the origin of man was traced to the monkey. Now this scientific theory It is questioned that not all scientists believe that we, the so-called “Homo sapiens,” descended from monkeys. However, scientific debates on this matter are still ongoing, but our article is not about this, but about those amazing creatures, our smaller brothers, who, among all the diverse animal world of planet Earth, are indeed most similar in structure to us, people.

Monkey: description, structure, characteristics. What does a monkey look like?

Let's start with the fact that the very origin of the name “monkey” is very curious. Until the 16th century, we called the monkey “opitsa”; by the way, the Czechs still call it that way. After the Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin returned from his famous trip to India, he brought into use the Persian name “abuzina,” literally meaning “father of fornication.” Subsequently, the Persian “abuzina” was transformed into “monkey”.

The body length of a monkey, depending on its species, can range from 15 cm (for the pygmy marmoset) to 2 m (for the gorilla). Also, the weight of a monkey can range from 150 grams for the smallest representatives of the species, up to 275 kg - this is how much huge gorillas weigh.

Many monkeys lead an arboreal lifestyle, that is, they predominantly live in trees and, as a result, have a long back, a shortened narrow chest, and thin hip bones. But orangutans and gibbons have a wide chest and massive pelvic bones.

Some monkeys have very long tail, the length of which can even exceed the size of the body, the monkey's tail acts as a balancer when moving between trees. But monkeys living on the ground have a very short tail. As for monkeys without a tail, all “humanoid” monkeys do not have it (just as humans do not have it).

The body of monkeys is covered with fur of different colors, depending on the species it can be light brown, red, black and white, gray-olive. Some adult monkeys may turn gray with age, and male monkeys may go bald, again much like humans.

Monkeys have mobile, well-developed upper limbs, very similar to our hands, each with five fingers, and monkeys living in trees have short and large fingers, which allows them to comfortably fly from branch to branch.

Monkeys have binocular vision, many of them have black pupils.

Monkeys' teeth are also similar to humans, narrow-nosed monkeys There are 32 teeth, while broad-nosed animals have 36.

The monkey’s brain is also very well developed; among other representatives of the animal world, only dolphins could compete with monkeys in terms of intelligence. Apes have entire sections of the brain responsible for meaningful actions.

Monkeys communicate with each other using a special signaling system consisting of facial expressions and sounds. The most “chatty” among them are monkeys and capuchins; they have rich facial expressions and are able to express a wide range of feelings.

Where do monkeys live

Monkeys live on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica, of course. In Europe they live only in Gibraltar, in southeast Asia, Africa (with the exception of Madagascar), Central and South America, and Australia.

Monkey lifestyle

Monkeys live small families and according to their lifestyle they are divided into arboreal monkeys, living in trees, and terrestrial monkeys, living on the ground. Monkeys usually lead sedentary image life and rarely leave their territory.

Sometimes there are clashes between male monkeys, with the goal of resolving the answer to the question “who is the main male here,” although often such clashes are limited to a demonstration of the strength of each male and do not lead to a real fight.

How long do monkeys live?

On average, the life expectancy of monkeys is 30-40 years. However, great apes live longer; they can live up to 50 years.

What do monkeys eat?

Monkeys are omnivores, and their diet depends on the species and also the habitat. Tree monkeys eat everything that can be obtained from the trees - various fruits, nuts, and sometimes insects.

Land monkeys eat rhizomes and shoots of plants (for example, ferns are a favorite delicacy of the gorilla), fruits (figs, mangoes, and, of course, bananas). Also, some monkeys know how to fish and happily eat mollusks, rodents, grasshoppers, beetles and other small animals.

Although there are species of monkeys that eat only one, specific food, for example, Japanese stump-tailed macaques are pure vegetarians and feed exclusively on tree bark, and the crab-eating macaque, as its name suggests, feeds on crabs.

Monkey Enemies

Unfortunately, the monkeys themselves have many enemies in natural conditions, who is not averse to feasting on these primates. The most sworn enemies of monkeys are leopards, who are also capable of climbing trees well, and other predatory animals - lions, cheetahs.

Types of monkeys, photos and names

In general, all types of monkeys can be divided into:

  • broad-nosed monkeys - this includes monkeys living on the American continent,
  • narrow-nosed monkeys are all other monkeys that live in Africa, Asia, Australia and European Gibraltar.

Regarding different types monkeys, then zoologists separately distinguished species of anthropoid apes, species of small monkeys, etc. In general, there are more than 400 species of these primates in nature, below we will describe the most interesting of them.

It is a member of the spider monkey family. It is so named due to the fact that it produces characteristic sounds that can be heard at a distance of up to 5 km. Male black howler monkeys are covered with black fur and fully justify their name, but female black howler monkeys are not black at all, their fur is yellow-brown or olive in color. The length of this monkey is 56-67 cm, with a weight of 6.7 kg. The black howler monkey lives in South America, in countries such as Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia.

Belonging to the prehensile-tailed family, the capuchin is an arboreal monkey that lives in trees. The weight of a capuchin is 3 kg. It has a brown or gray-brown color. Very interesting feature this species of monkey is their habit of rubbing themselves poisonous centipedes() for protection against blood-sucking insects. Mourning capuchins live in the crowns of tropical forests in Brazil and Venezuela.

Yours unusual name received thanks to the gray color with shades of blue and a white stripe of fur that runs over the eyebrows like a crown. The body length of the crowned monkey is 50-60 cm and weighs 5-6 kg. Monkeys live in African forests from the Congo River basin to Ethiopia and Angola.

Belongs to great apes gibbon family. It is 55-65 cm in length and weighs 5-6 kg. The coat color of the white-handed gibbon can be black, sand or brown, but its hands are always white, hence the name. These gibbons live in tropical forests China and the Malay Archipelago.

Eastern gorilla

Gorilla is the most big monkey in the world. The average size of a gorilla is 185 cm with a body weight of 180 kg. Although sometimes you come across larger gorillas, weighing up to 220 kg. These huge monkeys are distinguished by their large heads, broad shoulders, and open chests. The color of the gorilla's coat is black; in old age, gorillas, like people, can turn gray. Despite their menacing appearance, gorillas prefer to eat grass and plant shoots rather than hunt game. Gorillas live in equatorial forests Central and Western Africa.

He is also a white-headed saki, in our opinion this monkey has the strangest appearance - the black color of his fur contrasts brightly with the white color of his face. The size of pale saki is 30-48 cm and weighs 2 kg. This is an arboreal monkey living in the forests of Brazil, Venezuela, and Suriname.

He is also a frog baboon, a species of narrow-nosed monkeys that spend their entire lives exclusively on the ground. It is also a fairly large monkey, the body length of the hamadryas is 70-100 cm, weight 30 kg. It also has an unusual appearance - long hair on the shoulders and chest forms a kind of fur cape. The hamadryas lives in both Africa and Asia in a number of countries, such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Yemen.

The proboscis monkey, also known as kahau, belongs to the monkey family. The striking feature of this monkey is large sizes a nose that monkeys even have to hold with their hands while eating. It has a yellow-brown color. The size of the proboscis monkey is 66-77 cm and weighs 15-22 kg. It also has a long tail, which is equal in size to the length of their body. These unusual species of monkeys live exclusively on the island of Borneo.

Living in the northern part Japanese island Honshu this monkey is real business card these places. The size of the Japanese macaque is 80-95 cm, weight 12-14 kg. These monkeys have bright red skin, which is especially noticeable on their face and buttocks, which are devoid of fur. Cold macaques living in northern Japan winter months experience in special thermal springs, warming up in their hot waters (and at the same time attract crowds of tourists from all over the world).

The Sumatran orangutan is a fairly large monkey, its size reaches one and a half meters and weighs 150-160 kg. In terms of size, the orangutan ranks second after the gorilla. It has well-developed muscles, a massive body covered with red hair, and is an excellent tree climber. The orangutan's face has fat pads located on the cheeks, and the beard and mustache give it a very funny look. The charismatic Sumatran orangutan lives exclusively on the island of Sumatra.

For some reason, monkeys are most associated with chimpanzees, which are the most characteristic representative of the monkey kingdom. Chimpanzees are also relatively large monkeys, their body length is 140-160 cm and their weight is 65-80 kg, that is, they are the same size as humans. The body of a chimpanzee is covered with black fur. It is also very curious that these anthropoid apes are the only ones who thought of creating a kind of tools that facilitate the process of obtaining food, they are able to sharpen the ends of sticks, turning them into imitation spears, they can use stone leaves as traps for insects, etc. Without a doubt, chimpanzees are the most intelligent among monkeys, and if Darwin's theory is right, then they are in the closest family connection with us people. Chimpanzees live mainly in Central and Western Africa.

And finally, it was impossible not to mention pygmy marmoset- the smallest monkey in the world. Its length is only 10-15 cm, weight – 100-150 grams. They live in the forests of South America, feeding exclusively on tree sap.

Reproduction of monkeys in nature

Reproduction of monkeys occurs throughout the year and for each species has its own individual characteristics. Puberty in monkeys it usually occurs at 7-8 years of age. Some species of monkeys are monogamous and create permanent families for life, others, such as capuchins, on the contrary, are polygamous, so female capuchins mate with several males, and the males do the same.

A monkey's pregnancy can last from 6 to 8.5 months, again depending on the species. Usually one baby is born at a time, but there are species of monkeys that can give birth to twins.

Little monkeys, like real primates, are mother-fed breast milk, and the period of feeding also varies among different monkeys. The female gorilla feeds her cubs the longest - this period lasts up to 3.5 years.

Keeping monkeys at home

Despite the fact that monkeys are wild creatures, they are nevertheless very easy to train, get used to captivity, and, under favorable conditions, feel quite comfortable in zoos. It's true that keeping a monkey at home is not the best best idea, they are terrible mischievous and restless, and if you decide to have pet monkey, then you should prepare for her to create real chaos in your home. To prevent this, the monkey can be kept in a spacious cage.

You can feed the monkey fish, chicken or turkey, boiled eggs, vegetables, nuts, and fresh fruits.

  • Some species of monkeys are very clean and take care of their appearance They spend almost the whole day.
  • During the development of astronautics, 32 monkeys have already visited space.
  • Spider monkeys have such a developed and strong tail that they can easily hang on a tree branch with its help alone.
  • A group of American scientists managed to teach a female gorilla a certain number of words from the language of the deaf and dumb, after which she was able to quite successfully communicate with people.

Monkeys, video

And finally interesting documentary about monkeys from the Discovery Channel - “Monkeys on the Warpath”


When writing the article, I tried to make it as interesting, useful and high-quality as possible. I will be grateful for any feedback and constructive criticism in the form of comments on the article. You can also write your wish/question/suggestion to my email. [email protected] or on Facebook, sincerely the author.

Man is very interested in the life of monkeys. Of course! Not only are there rumors in the scientific world about its involvement in the human race, but primates also resemble humans in their habits. Sometimes it seems that these animals are almost as intelligent as we are. Where do monkeys live?

In what country do monkeys live?

There are more than four hundred species of primates in the world. The most famous are anthropoids. In nature, there are monkeys with a body length from nine centimeters to one hundred and eighty. Mostly primates lead an arboreal lifestyle. They live in small groups. Supports daytime activity. These are omnivores. The tendency towards herbivory or carnivory depends on the habitat, the type of monkey and the time of year.

Since there are a lot of species of primates and, sometimes, they are quite distant from each other, we will look at the habitats of families of primates. Let us just recall from zoology: within families, genera are distinguished, and within genus, species.

Tentails, or capuchins

The most numerous variety, in which eleven genera are distinguished (howler monkeys, jumpers, sakis, woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys and others).

Monkeys are small to medium sized great apes. All members of the capuchin family have a long tail covered with hair. In some species, this part of the body is capable of touch. The facial part of the head is shortened, the nostrils are well separated from each other, the eyes are large with developed eyelids. The hair of capuchins is monochromatic and quite thick.

Grain-tailed monkeys are good at jumping and running through trees. They feed mainly on vegetation. But they also eat insects, bird eggs and other small animals. The forelimbs are used to obtain food. Their faces are capable of expressing emotions.

The distribution range of capuchins is South America east of the Andes (from 27 degrees south latitude), Argentina north through Central America to 23 degrees northern latitude in Mexico.

Monkeys

The family has eight genera (macaques, proboscis monkeys, baboons, mangabeys and others). They have small and medium sizes. Some species have a tail, some do not. The physique of monkeys is also different: from graceful and light to quite heavy.

The forelimbs are slightly longer than the hind limbs. The hairline is usually long and silky. The entire body is covered with hair, excluding the ischium, face, soles and hind limbs.

Monkeys live in various places: Jungles, open plains, mangrove swamps, rocky areas. Almost all members of the family lead an arboreal lifestyle, macaques are terrestrial and arboreal, baboons are terrestrial. Monkeys are diurnal animals. At night they roost on rocks, trees or in caves.

The distribution area covers Southeast Asia, Arabian Peninsula and Africa (where lions live). On European continent found only in Gibraltar.

Hands

A family represented by only one species. Monkeys are small in size, have an elongated, slender body, a rounded head with a shortened facial region. The coat is coarse, dark brown or black.

Little hands live in forests, bamboo thickets and mangroves. They lead a mainly arboreal lifestyle. They remain active at night and sleep in hollows or treetops during the day. The main diet is insects and their larvae.

Habitat: Madagascar. The species is very rare and is therefore listed in the Red Book.

Tarsiers

The family is represented by one genus and two species. This is a transitional species between lemurs and lower apes. Distinctive features:

  • small size (from 28 to 40 cm, tail - from 6 to 27 cm);
  • maximum weight – 150 g;
  • large, very mobile head (can rotate almost 180 degrees);
  • short muzzle;
  • huge, bulging eyes that do not fit into the cranial orbit;
  • highly developed heel section;
  • velvety wool of a grayish or red-brown hue;
  • a long, rod-shaped tail with a tassel at the end;
  • feed on animals (insects, small vertebrates, lizards, birds and their eggs).

Habitat – Southeast Asia. Moreover, each species occupies certain islands of the Philippine, Malay and Sunda archipelagos. Tarsiers choose inaccessible jungles.

Dwarf lemurs

The maximum size of these monkeys is 460 g. Species living in the eastern tropical forests have a reddish-brown tint, while in the western dry forests they have a gray back. Dwarf lemurs live in all types of forests on the island of Madagascar.

These are nocturnal animals that prefer an arboreal lifestyle. Dwarf lemurs build spherical nests from leaves or take advantage of natural voids in trees. The main diet is fruits and vegetables.

Gibbons

Characteristic features of the family:

  • body length – from 45 to 90 cm;
  • weight – 8-13 kg;
  • graceful body with greatly elongated forelimbs;
  • there is a small ischial callus;
  • thick hair;
  • color varies from black or brown to cream or whitish.

Gibbons live in dense tropical forests. They prefer an arboreal lifestyle. The main food is leaves and fruits.

The distribution area occupies Assam, Burma, the Indochina Peninsula, Hainan, Thailand, Tenasserim, the Malacca Peninsula, the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Mentawai.

Apes

There are small, medium and large sizes. They don't have a tail. The minimum weight is five kilograms, the maximum is three hundred. Massive build, long forelimbs and short hind limbs. Rounded head with prominent facial region. Well developed brain.

Apes are inhabitants of tropical forests. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, most of which is spent in trees. Distribution area: Southeast Asia and adjacent islands, Equatorial Africa.

Galago

These nocturnal animals are active jumpers. They feed on fruits, fruits and invertebrates. Galagos live only in Africa, but in various territories: from dry places with thorny bushes to tropical forests.

Marmosets

The smallest of the great apes. Very active tree monkeys. They remain active during the day and sleep in tree hollows at night.

The main diet is insects, birds, juicy fruits and seeds. Distributed mainly in South America. Found in Colombia, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

How long do monkeys live?

Life expectancy varies among different families of primates. Thus, tenacious-tailed animals lived in captivity up to twenty-five years (about as long as tigers live). The lifespan of monkeys in captivity is thirty to forty years. Little hands managed to live only up to nine years.

Tarsiers survive in captivity with difficulty and do not reproduce. Life in the wild lasts up to twelve years. Currently, most species of this family are extinct. The main threat is habitat destruction. Dwarf lemurs are also threatened with extinction. Today these animals are listed in the Red Book.

The maximum lifespan of gibbons in captivity is twenty-three years. But anthropoids are long-lived. Life expectancy in captivity is forty-six years. Unfortunately, the number of anthropoids in natural environment habitat is rapidly declining. The result of human persecution is ten thousand gorillas and two and a half thousand orangutans.

As you know, monkeys are very smart animals. There are about 280 species of them on the planet. And today we want to introduce you to a list with photos of ten monkeys that differ from the rest in their unusual appearance.

Tonkinsky Gulman

Tonkinsky Gulman - rare species primates, found in various forests in southern China and northeastern Vietnam. They live in groups of 4–27 individuals, led by females. These active and noisy monkeys spend most of their lives in trees. The basis of their diet consists of shoots, fruits, flowers and bark. The length of the head and body of male Tonkin Gulman reaches 55–64 cm, females 47–59 cm. The weight of males is 6.5–7.2 kg, females 5.5–5.9 kg. Total quantity There are no known individuals living in the wild, but there are believed to be fewer than 500 left in Vietnam and 1,400–1,650 in China.


The proboscis monkey is a species of monkey found in tropical forests and mangroves along rivers exclusively on the island of Borneo. Distinctive feature These unusual monkeys are their pear-shaped large nose, which is found only in males. Proboscis whales live in groups of 10 to 30 individuals. They feed mainly on leaves and fruits, sometimes on plant flowers. The length of the head and body of males is 73–76 cm, females 54–64 cm. The weight of males is 16–22 kg, females 7–12 kg. Proboscis whales swim and dive well. They are considered the best swimmers of all primates. The species is endangered and is included in the list of the ugliest animals on the planet.


Eighth place in the list of the most unusual species of monkeys is occupied by the Nemean tonkotel - a species of primate inhabiting various types forests of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. They live in groups of up to 50 individuals. They feed mainly on young leaves, fruits, seeds and flowers. They spend most of their time in trees. Adult males reach an average weight of 11 kg, females approximately 8.4 kg. Their body length is 61–76 cm, tail length is 56–76 cm. Life expectancy is up to 25 years. They are endangered.


The baboon is a species of large monkey, distributed in the semi-open mountainous and lowland territories of Angola, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia and Tanzania. This very agile monkey spends most of its time on the ground, where it stays close to trees, where it sometimes sleeps. They live in herds of 20 to 200 individuals (average 80). Their body length reaches an average of 75 cm, weight 20–25 kg. Life expectancy is 20–30 years. They feed on fruits, grains, bulbs, shoots, insects, small mammals. Baboons are often kept in zoos.


Roxellanicus rhinopithecus is a species of primate found in a small area of ​​montane and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in southern and central China. These animals are among the most cold-resistant primates, for which the Chinese nicknamed them “ snow monkeys" They spend almost their entire lives on trees and, at the slightest danger, climb to their tops. They feed mainly (when there are no fruits) on tree bark, pine needles and lichens. They live in groups of 9–18 animals. Their body length is 57–76 cm, tail length 51–72 cm, weight of males 15–39 kg, females 6.5–10 kg. The species is endangered.


Orangutan - very smart look large monkeys that live only in rain forests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They spend most of their lives in trees, along which they move with the help of long arms(span reaches 2 m), helping yourself with your feet. They feed mainly on fruits and tree leaves, sometimes insects, bird eggs, honey, nuts and bark. The height of males can reach 1.5 m (usually less), body weight - 50–90 and even 135 kg. Females are much smaller - their height is about 1 m, weight 30–50 kg. Orangutans live up to 30 years. This type are endangered and listed in the International Red Book.

White-headed Langur


In fourth place in the ranking of the most unusual monkeys on the planet is the white-headed langur - one of the rarest primates in the world (the number is estimated at less than 70 individuals), found only in the forests of southern China and northern Vietnam. They live in groups of five to nine animals, usually with one dominant male. They feed mainly on leaves, fruits, flowers and tree bark. The body length of males is 55–62 cm, females 47–55 cm. The weight of males is 8–9.5 kg, females 6–8 kg. Animals have average duration life 25 years.

Gelada


Gelada is a rare species of monkey found only on the mountain plateaus of Ethiopia. They are social animals and live in groups of up to 70 individuals, which sometimes join together to form huge herds of up to 350 animals. They spend all their time exclusively on the ground. They never climb trees. They mainly feed on grass leaves, seeds and excavated underground stems and rhizomes, sometimes fruits and small invertebrates. The length of the head and body of males is 69–74 cm, females 50–65 cm. The weight of males reaches 20 kg, females 12–16 kg. They are considered one of the most dangerous herbivores and the loudest monkeys in the world.


The Japanese macaque is the northernmost monkey, living in various forests in the north of the island of Honshu in Japan, where snow lies up to four months, and the average winter temperature is -5° C. During this period, Japanese macaques spend most of their time in hot springs. They live in groups of 20 to 100 individuals with a strict hierarchy. Their body length reaches 79–95 cm. The weight of males is 10–14 kg, females – 5.5 kg. Japanese macaques are omnivores, feeding mainly on fruits, leaves, seeds, plant roots, fungi, as well as insects, fish, bird eggs and small vertebrates. Interestingly, this monkey, along with humans and raccoons, are the only animals that wash their food before eating it.


The most unusual appearance The most common monkey in the world is the spectacled slender-bodied monkey, common in the forests of Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. They live in groups of 5 to 20 animals. They almost never descend to the ground. They prefer to stay in the upper layers of trees (at heights of 35 meters or higher). They feed mainly on leaves, a variety of fruits and flowers. Capable of eating up to 2 kg per day. Their body length is 42–61 cm, tail length is 50–85 cm. On average, an adult male of the spectacled thin-bodied fish weighs 7.4 kg, a female 6.5 kg.

Man is very interested in the life of monkeys. Of course! Not only are there rumors in the scientific world about its involvement in the human race, but primates also resemble humans in their habits. Sometimes it seems that these animals are almost as intelligent as we are. Where do monkeys live?

In what country do monkeys live?

There are more than four hundred species of primates in the world. The most famous are anthropoids. In nature, there are monkeys with a body length from nine centimeters to one hundred and eighty. Mostly primates lead an arboreal lifestyle. They live in small groups. Supports daytime activity. These are omnivores. The tendency towards herbivory or carnivory depends on the habitat, the type of monkey and the time of year.

Since there are a lot of species of primates and, sometimes, they are quite distant from each other, we will look at the habitats of families of primates. Let us just recall from zoology: within families, genera are distinguished, and within genus, species.

Tentails, or capuchins

The most numerous variety, in which eleven genera are distinguished (howler monkeys, jumpers, sakis, woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys and others).

Monkeys are small to medium sized great apes. All members of the capuchin family have a long tail covered with hair. In some species, this part of the body is capable of touch. The facial part of the head is shortened, the nostrils are well separated from each other, the eyes are large with developed eyelids. The hair of capuchins is monochromatic and quite thick.

Grain-tailed monkeys are good at jumping and running through trees. They feed mainly on vegetation. But they also eat insects, bird eggs and other small animals. The forelimbs are used to obtain food. Their faces are capable of expressing emotions.

The distribution range of capuchins is South America east of the Andes (from 27 degrees south latitude), Argentina north through Central America to 23 degrees north latitude in Mexico.

Monkeys

The family has eight genera (macaques, proboscis monkeys, baboons, mangabeys and others). They have small and medium sizes. Some species have a tail, some do not. The physique of monkeys is also different: from graceful and light to quite heavy.

The forelimbs are slightly longer than the hind limbs. The hairline is usually long and silky. The entire body is covered with hair, excluding the ischium, face, soles and hind limbs.

Monkeys live in various places: jungles, open plains, mangrove swamps, rocky places. Almost all members of the family lead an arboreal lifestyle, macaques are terrestrial and arboreal, baboons are terrestrial. Monkeys are diurnal animals. At night they roost on rocks, trees or in caves.

The distribution area covers Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa (where lions live). On the European continent they are found only in Gibraltar.

Hands

A family represented by only one species. Monkeys are small in size, have an elongated, slender body, a rounded head with a shortened facial region. The coat is coarse, dark brown or black.

Little hands live in forests, bamboo thickets and mangroves. They lead a mainly arboreal lifestyle. They remain active at night and sleep in hollows or treetops during the day. The main diet is insects and their larvae.

Habitat: Madagascar. The species is very rare and is therefore listed in the Red Book.

Tarsiers

The family is represented by one genus and two species. This is a transitional species between lemurs and lower apes. Distinctive features:

  • small size (from 28 to 40 cm, tail - from 6 to 27 cm);
  • maximum weight – 150 g;
  • large, very mobile head (can rotate almost 180 degrees);
  • short muzzle;
  • huge, bulging eyes that do not fit into the cranial orbit;
  • highly developed heel section;
  • velvety wool of a grayish or red-brown hue;
  • a long, rod-shaped tail with a tassel at the end;
  • feed on animals (insects, small vertebrates, lizards, birds and their eggs).

Habitat: Southeast Asia. Moreover, each species occupies certain islands of the Philippine, Malay and Sunda archipelagos. Tarsiers choose inaccessible jungles.

Dwarf lemurs

The maximum size of these monkeys is 460 g. Species living in the eastern tropical forests have a reddish-brown tint, while in the western dry forests they have a gray back. Dwarf lemurs live in all types of forests on the island of Madagascar.

These are nocturnal animals that prefer an arboreal lifestyle. Dwarf lemurs build spherical nests from leaves or take advantage of natural voids in trees. The main diet is fruits and vegetables.

Gibbons

Characteristic features of the family:

  • body length – from 45 to 90 cm;
  • weight – 8-13 kg;
  • graceful body with greatly elongated forelimbs;
  • there is a small ischial callus;
  • thick hair;
  • color varies from black or brown to cream or whitish.

Gibbons live in dense tropical forests. They prefer an arboreal lifestyle. The main food is leaves and fruits.

The distribution area occupies Assam, Burma, the Indochina Peninsula, Hainan, Thailand, Tenasserim, the Malacca Peninsula, the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Mentawai.

Apes

There are small, medium and large sizes. They don't have a tail. The minimum weight is five kilograms, the maximum is three hundred. Massive build, long forelimbs and short hind limbs. Rounded head with prominent facial region. Well developed brain.

Apes are inhabitants of tropical forests. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, most of which is spent in trees. Distribution area: Southeast Asia and adjacent islands, Equatorial Africa.

Galago

These nocturnal animals are active jumpers. They feed on fruits, fruits and invertebrates. Galagos live only in Africa, but in various territories: from dry places with thorny bushes to tropical forests.

Marmosets

The smallest of the great apes. Very active tree monkeys. They remain active during the day and sleep in tree hollows at night.

The main diet is insects, birds, juicy fruits and seeds. Distributed mainly in South America. Found in Colombia, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

How long do monkeys live?

Life expectancy varies among different families of primates. Thus, tenacious-tailed animals lived in captivity up to twenty-five years (about as long as tigers live). The lifespan of monkeys in captivity is thirty to forty years. Little hands managed to live only up to nine years.

Tarsiers survive in captivity with difficulty and do not reproduce. Life in the wild lasts up to twelve years. Currently, most species of this family are extinct. The main threat is habitat destruction. Dwarf lemurs are also threatened with extinction. Today these animals are listed in the Red Book.

The maximum lifespan of gibbons in captivity is twenty-three years. But anthropoids are long-lived. Life expectancy in captivity is forty-six years. Unfortunately, the number of anthropoids in their natural habitat is rapidly declining. The result of human persecution is ten thousand gorillas and two and a half thousand orangutans.