A monkey is a long-tailed, medium-sized member of the order of Primates. The primate order also includes macaques, baboons, guenons, capuchins, marmosets, and tamarins.Monkeys today are a member of two of the three groups of simian primates, the New World monkeys and the Old World monkeys, of which there are 264 known species. Apes and chimpanzees are not scientifically classified as monkeys, a common misconception due to their physical similarities.Some distinguishing features between New World and Old World monkeys include the tail. Most New World monkeys have prehensile tails while Old World monkeys do not. The facial features of each group of monkeys also differ substantially; however, there are a number of shared features as well.Monkeys are a very diverse family of species, ranging in size from the 5-6 inch Pygmy Marmoset, to the adult male Mandrill, which can be 3 feet tall. Some monkeys spend the majority if their lives in treetops, while others call savannas and grasslands home. Most monkeys survive of a diet of fruit, leaves, nuts, berries, eggs, insects and they occasionally hunt other smaller animals.
Latest about Monkeys
Three chimps shot dead and four remain on the loose after mysterious zoo escape
The zoo is now being investigated for a breach of animal rights protections.
Chimps are naturally violent, study suggests
A new, 54-year study suggests coordinated aggression is innate to chimpanzees, and is not linked to human interference.
Wild chimps and gorillas can form social bonds that last for decades
Friendly associations between gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild can persist for decades, and may originate around food sharing and defense against predators.
Chimps Learned Tool Use Long Ago Without Human Help
Humans and chimps are even more alike than previously thought; chimps learned to make their own tools rather
Monkeys in Indonesia use rocks as 'sex toys'
Long-tailed macaques in Indonesia use stones to masturbate, according to a new study that furthers researchers' understanding of the monkey "sex toy" hypothesis.
'Monkey gang' member executed in Japan as marauding macaques run amok
A team of "specially commissioned hunters" tracked down and killed one member of a "monkey gang" responsible for more than 50 attacks in the Japanese city of Yamaguchi.
Pregnant Monkeys Miscarry to Avoid Infanticide
The "abortion" keeps new males from killing the mama's babies.
Monkey Lip-Smacking Resembles Human Speech
Gelada monkey sounds could be an evolutionary step toward human language.
