Ever wondered how monkeys find food across such varied and demanding environments? Wild primates rely on an impressive mix of memory, senses, tools, and social learning to keep themselves fed every single day, and the strategies vary widely between species. Mental Maps of the Forest Monkeys rely heavily on spatial memory, building detailed mental maps […]
Monkey senses are a rich combination that let primates navigate their environment, find food, avoid predators and maintain their complex social lives. While the basic five senses apply, the balance and sophistication of each monkey sense varies notably by species and habitat. Vision Most monkeys, particularly Old World species, have excellent color vision, including full […]
Can monkeys recognize themselves in mirrors? It’s a simple-sounding question that requires a surprising level of self-awareness to answer, and it has been a long-running and genuinely fascinating question in animal cognition research. The Mirror Test The standard test for self-recognition involves marking an animal with an odorless dye somewhere it cannot normally see, such […]
Monkeys in scientific research have played a significant role for well over a century, contributing to breakthroughs in medicine, neuroscience and psychology because of their close biological and cognitive similarity to humans. Medical Research Because monkeys share a large percentage of their genetic makeup and physiology with humans, they have been used in the development […]
How monkeys learn new skills is a question that starts in infancy: monkeys are not born knowing how to crack a nut, use a tool or navigate a complex social hierarchy. Much of this knowledge is built through observation, practice and social learning over the course of years. Learning by Watching Young monkeys spend enormous […]
Why some monkeys have bright colors is a question with several answers: from the electric blue face of a mandrill to the golden coat of a golden lion tamarin, some monkeys are among the most vividly colored mammals on the planet. That color is rarely just decorative; it usually serves a very specific purpose. Signaling […]
What sounds do monkeys make? Spend even a short time near a troop of wild monkeys and you will notice how vocal they are. Sound is one of the primary tools monkeys use to manage social relationships, warn of danger and stay connected across dense forest. Alarm Calls Some of the best-studied monkey vocalizations are […]
Monkey migration and movement patterns work differently than in birds or wildebeest: monkeys are not famous for epic long-distance migrations, but many species move through their environment in patterns that are just as essential to their survival. Daily Ranging Rather Than Seasonal Migration Most monkeys practice what researchers call a daily ranging pattern rather than […]
Diseases that affect monkeys are a major concern for researchers, wildlife veterinarians, and conservationists, since living in close social groups gives monkeys huge advantages but also makes them vulnerable to a range of illnesses that can move quickly between individuals, and in some cases, between monkeys and people. Parasitic Infections Internal parasites such as roundworms, […]
Monkeys that live in deserts are rare, since when people picture a monkey, they usually imagine a lush rainforest canopy. Yet a handful of remarkably adaptable species have carved out a living in some of the driest, harshest landscapes on the planet. Which Monkeys Live Near Deserts True deep-desert monkeys are rare, since most primates […]