We explain what a monkey is, the types that exist and what the habitat of this primate is like. In addition, we explain its characteristics, diet and more.
Monkeys are mammals and primates with high intelligence.
What is Monkey?
It is called a monkey a mammal and primate animal, which accompanies the human being in its zoological classification (taxon) and resembles it physically and behaviorally more than any other animal in the world. It is a close relative of our species, although not as close as other types of primates such as the gorilla or the chimpanzee.
These are higher animals, endowed with a high margin of intelligencewhich allows them to socialize, organize hierarchically and solve problems in an original way.
There are around 260 species of monkey on the planet.mostly arboreal. Each species has a different name, which is often used in popular terms as if they were more or less synonymous: macaque, baboon, monkey, etc. The name “monkey” is also used as a synonym for “ape”, although zoology distinguishes between them: the latter do not have a tail.
See also: Reptiles.
Zoological classification of the monkey
Monkeys are mammalian vertebrates. of the order of primates and the platyrrhine families (New World monkeys) and cercopithecoids (Old World monkeys), which are distinct from the apes that are closer to humans and are also called hominoids (such as orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas and gibbons). This difference lies in their having a tail, a more primitive skeleton and generally being smaller.
Habitat of the monkey
The monkey is abundant in regions such as Central America and South America.
The habitat of the monkey is the warm and jungle areas of the equatorial regionalthough each species has adapted to specific conditions in savannas and forests.
In America they are much more abundant in the Central American, South American and Mexican regionsIn Europe they are found in the Gibraltar area, but we also find monkeys in the African and Asian jungles.
You may find useful: Biomes
Monkey Evolution
The lack of understanding of evolutionary theory has led to It is popularly assumed that the monkey is an ancestor of the human being.when in reality he is just a distant relative.
All primates would come from a common ancestor that abandoned the rest of the terrestrial mammals and climbed the trees, around 65,000,000 years ago. In this period, life was abundant in birds and mammals and began to adapt to new habitats, such as arboreal habitats.
This protoprimate would have engendered lemurs, lorises and similar speciesthus giving way to the evolutionary branch that would lead to the appearance of the first primates with tails some forty million years ago, it is speculated that on the Asian continent.
Monkey behavior
It is a social animal capable of providing affection, company and attention.
The monkeys They are social animals, who are organized based on hierarchies and are capable of providing each other with affection, company and attention at levels reminiscent of humans. Stable groups are managed with strong, long-lasting relationships around a male or a group of males that leads. Females usually remain in their birth group throughout their lives.
These groups of monkeys respond to social hierarchies, in which each individual occupies a specific position and they share habits such as mutual grooming, as a way of strengthening the bond between them.
Monkey Longevity
The average lifespan of a monkey varies depending on its species. The smallest ones live about 10 years.while the largest species can reach 50 years of age.
Monkey feeding
The diet of monkeys is varied, more or less omnivorous, although with a predilection for fruits, seeds, bark, insects and common treetop species.
However, it is not unusual for some species to hunt rodents and small birdsor even that they prey on other smaller species of monkeys.
Monkey reproduction
Monkeys can reach sexual maturity at 18 months.
The monkeys, according to their species, They can be polygamous or monogamous until death. Depending on their life cycle, they can reach sexual maturity at 18 months or around 8 years, and their gestation period lasts between 4 and 8 months, at the end of which between one and two offspring are usually obtained.
Monkey displacement
The monkeys They have limbs adapted to the treetopsbecause their feet and hands are equally prehensile, that is, they are used to firmly hold on to branches.
So, They can move with great speed and agilityOn flat terrain, however, their locomotion is made difficult by the lack of flatter feet (like those of humans) to provide support.
Monkey Diversity
There are 260 known species of monkeys with a wide variety of traits.
exist More than 270 known and recorded species of monkeys: about 135 in the old world and 135 in the new world. These range from small and agile monkeys such as the American marmoset, to larger and larger species such as the spider monkey or the famous baboon.
The body variation, especially in terms of fur, proportions and other features is very high, so native species are easily identifiable and they often become icons of the fauna and biodiversity of the different regions they inhabit.
Conservation status of the monkey
Many species of monkeys are threatened or in danger of extinctiondue to logging and deforestation that leave them without habitat.
Besides, Many of them are hunted as trophies or exterminated. by farmers who perceive them as a threat to their crops. Of these, 25 species are considered seriously endangered, mainly in Madagascar (6 species), Vietnam (5 species) and Indonesia (3 species).
