Here are 35 interesting and fun facts about Monkey. You can find monkey facts on two hundred different species of the animal. All of the 200 different species of monkeys fall into two categories: Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecoidea) and New World Monkeys (Ceboidea). Old World Monkeys are larger and inhabit Africa, India, central & southern Asia, and Japan. New World Monkeys live in Central & South America, and Mexico.
35 Monkey Facts
Physically, monkeys have many of the same organs and functions as humans.
The way to tell the difference between a monkey and an ape is that monkeys have tails and apes do not.
Monkeys like to live in the warmth of tropical and subtropical climates.
Monkeys do not swing hand over hand on tree branches like apes, they run on all fours.
The reproduction system of monkeys is monthly like humans.
Monkeys give birth to one offspring–they do not have twins or multiple babies.
Old World Monkeys more closely resemble apes–many do not have tails and they have cheek pouches for holding food.
Old World Monkeys have 32 teeth. New World Monkeys have 36.
Monkeys are social animals, living in groups that are called troops.
Monkey’s never catching colds.
Spider monkeys will drop heavy branches from trees to protect them if being pursued.
There is a monkey known as a Howler Monkey, who howls as the name implies.
Howler Monkeys can be heard as far away as two miles.
Hands and feet of monkeys are made for grasping much the same as human hands.
Troops of monkeys can have several thousand members who travel together.
Monkeys have the ability to see in color.
Monkeys show affection for one another by cleaning their coats.
Check out these monkey facts: The Lion-tailed Macaque is a breed of monkey that has a mane around its neck like a lion. The tail on the Lion-tailed Macaque is two feet long.
Monkeys are one of few animals to be able to sit in an upright position.
New World Monkeys do not have thumbs.
Old World Monkeys have one nostril, New World Monkeys have two.
Monkeys are very territorial.
A monkey’s diet consists of fruit, grass, leaves, spiders and insects.
Monkeys do not make good pets.
Monkeys are not nocturnal, they are active during daylight.
Some species of monkeys can use their tails to grab onto objects.
Monkeys communicate with one another through their voice and body movements.
An upset monkey will jerk his head back and forth and pull at his lip.
The majority of monkeys live in trees but some do live on the ground.
Monkeys live in both mountains and grassy plains.
Many monkeys prefer to live in the rainforest for its warmth.
Monkeys have strong tails and can hang–supporting their entire body weight with their tail.
The largest monkey is the Mandrill.
Monkey facts indicate that the smallest monkey is a Pygmy Marmoset.
A monkey kept in captivity can live to be as old as 45 years.
