Monkey Facts

A Barrel Full of Monkey Facts

Anyone who is fully aware of basic monkey facts would recognize immediately that they can be quite a handful as pets. In the wild, however, monkeys are a natural part of the environment in which they live.

Monkey facts supplied by the San Diego Zoo indicate there are almost 200 species of monkeys in the world today. The largest of these is the baboon, which can reach 3 ½ feet tall, and the smallest of the species is the pygmy marmoset, measuring in at a mere 6 inches.

There are two main regions of the world where monkeys can be found, called Old World and New World. Old World monkeys are found in Africa and Asia, and have distinguishing features of small nostrils in close proximity to each other. Some Old World monkeys also have sitting rump pads and cheek pockets, which are used to stuff food into when on the run. New World monkeys are those living in Mexico, South and Central Americas. Some of the New World monkeys possess prehensile tails to assist with moving about and all have round nostrils that are set wide apart. These monkey facts are the telling characteristics which set the two categories apart.

Some fun and interesting monkey facts are available on some of the species. For example, the fastest primate on earth is the Patas monkey, who can travel by foot on the ground up to 30 miles per hour. Like a cow, the Angolan black and white colobus monkey has a four-chambered stomach and is primarily a leaf eater. This means that a great deal of gas develops in the stomachs as it ferments, causing the monkeys to belch. They have integrated this belching into their lives as a friendly social gesture.

A few other unusual monkey facts that are certain to surprise people are:

Swamp monkeys and proboscis monkeys have the ability to swim.
Allen’s swamp monkeys are known to “fish”, by placing leaves on the water surface, then grabbing the fish that come to hide under them.
Vervet monkeys have unique alarm calls that identify and warn others of predators; one call for pythons, another for leopards and yet another for eagles.
Grinning is a sign of aggression for monkeys, as is a physical pulling of the lip
Monkeys never catch a cold
Groups of monkeys are called troops

Monkey facts show that while they are affectionate with each other, they can be very aggressive and dangerous to humans or other animals if provoked. Staring into a monkey’s face is a challenge, while looking away or down is backing away from a fight.

Monkeys are certainly entertaining to watch in the zoo as their playful antics and social interactions with each other communicate their feelings and emotions to the audience. These monkey facts should show that they have an integral part in the wild and should not be considered to be kept as a pet.