Monkeys surely are amazing creatures. Actually, nowadays there are more than 260 species of monkeys known into the world. Monkeys are usually considered to be extremely intelligent animals. In fact, they are thought to be the closest animals to human intelligence. Monkeys can be so smart and cute that today many people choose to keep them into their homes as pets. However, in some areas of the world, monkeys are believed to be quite dangerous.

Both these aspects have been approached in various movies. So, while in some movies monkeys are presented as cute pets who get along extremely well with children, in others they are strong creatures, feared by humans.

Below you can find a top of the best monkey movies ever released. They are definitely worth to be watched, being among the best movies in the world.

1. King Kong

King Kong probably is one of the best monkey movies ever released. The movie was released in 1933. King Kong is gentle at heart, but he is willing to do anything to save his loved ones, once they are put in danger. The movie remains a classic, still being watched and appreciated by people today, at more than 80 years since the moment of its release.

2. Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes is also a successful monkey movie. The movie was released in 1968. This is a science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Planet of the Apes stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Maurice Evans and Kim Hunter. It was so successful that the movie was actually followed by a remake and a reboot in 2001 and 2011. The story is focused on the adventures of an astronaut crew who lands on a strange planet.

3. Mighty Joe Young

Mighty Joe Young is a movie released in 1949. The film is directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack and stars Terry Moore, Ben Johnson, Robert Armstrong and Frank McHugh. The movie actually was produced by the same creative team as the one who worked on King Kong. Mighty Joe Young tells the story of a young woman who ends up bringing a giant gorilla to Hollywood.

In all these movies, monkeys are presented as extremely intelligent animals, being able to act, think and behave just like humans. And the truth is that this hypothesis is not wrong at all. Monkeys really are smart and can simply adapt to new situations.

Baboons are African and Arabian Old World monkeys. They belong to the genus Papio and are part of the Cercopithecinae family. Like many species of monkeys, baboons are extremely intelligent. They can mostly be seen in regions of Africa, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. They are also common is some regions of Arabia.

Nowadays there are five species of baboons known to exist in the world. All are similar when it comes to appearance, having similar habits, as well. Baboons are believed to be the most successful African primates at the moment, as they are not exposed to forms of threat or danger. Their lifestyle is quite interesting, baboons opting for areas which have not been yet affected by human presence. This is the main reason why the species has managed to remain safe.

Here are some facts about baboons:

• They weight about 14 to 40 kg.
• Baboons commonly live between 20 and 45 years, aspect which will vary depending on the species.
• Their size ranges between 20 to 47 inch.
• Baboons eat grass, greens, seeds, as well as fruits, roots, leaves, nuts and cereals.
• The species prefers dry forests, bush savannas or arid zones, in which they set their habitat.
• A baboon female is considered to have reached the age of maturity at 4 to 5 years, while males are mature at 4 to 10 years.
• Baboons are considered to be unique and extremely complex creatures.


Source

• These monkeys are able to scream, bark and grunt when trying to communicate.
• Numerous studies have shown that baboons tend to spend most of their time on the ground. However, they can climb trees, where they commonly sleep.
• Baboons are believed to be extremely opportunistic in their nature. They are able to adapt really easy, eating almost anything they find.
• A female baboon will probably have half the size of an adult male.
• Usually, a female baboon is able to give birth to just one baby at a time. Babies will first cling to their mother’s chest. Babies stay with their mothers about 18 months after birth. During this period of time they will learn everything there is to know about how to eat and how to manage through life.


Source

• The behavior of a baboon is also very interesting. These animals do not have an exact schedule, so they can do anything during a day. Their habits can actually change from one day to another.
• Baboons are extremely adaptable, so they can be found in a variety of habitats.
• They sleep, travel, feed and socialize in groups of about 50 individuals.
• Baboons are sociable animals, so they love to live in groups.
• They commonly leave their sleeping place at about 7 to 8 a.m.
• When they mature, baboons leave their natal troops with the main purpose to find other troops, in which they move.
• Males are usually simply accepted in new troops.


Source

The most important predators of baboons are humans. However, the species is not in danger of become endangered, as baboons prefer to live in areas that have not been yet affected by human presence. Baboons are an extremely interesting species. They are intelligent, social and their habits are quite fascinating.

Squirrel monkeys are of the genus Saimiri and their name is of Tupi origin. These animals live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer.

Source

Characteristics

Such monkeys feature a slender body, with short greyish dense coat. Their legs, ears, throat, head and back are yellow to grey-green. Other parts of the body are yellow to white and the face is white. These animals have a tail that often curls over their shoulder while resting.

Instead of claws, they have nails and are also known as small nervous primates because they are the smallest of the primate family Cebidae, weighting only one to three pounds. The length of their body is about nine to nineteen inches and tail is approximately fourteen to nineteen inches long.

Source

Behaviour

Squirrel monkeys are diurnal, feeding in the morning and are agile in the trees, using their long tail. These animals form groups of 2 to 30 monkeys that often break up and rejoin, being only a few males in a single group.

Habitat

The habitat of these interesting monkeys is in Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Brazil, in the northern part of South America to Peru, as well as in Costa Rica and Panama.

Source

Life Cycle

Birth usually takes place on February to April. Females become sexually mature at two and a half years old, while males at four years old. After birth, the baby clings to the back of his mother. The father doesn’t help the female in raising the young, only other mothers with new babies will do that.

Diet

They eat mainly insects, which make about 75% to 80% of a squirrel monkey diet. These monkeys don’t eat leaves.

Source

Their main enemy is the eagle, but baboons and porcupines are also a threat. One of Squirrel monkeys subspecies that lives on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is threatened.

Chimpanzees are believed to be the closest living relatives to humans, sharing more than 98 percent of their genetic blueprint. It is considered that humans and chimpanzees have a common ancestor, too. Naturally, it lived millions of years ago. Chimpanzees are amazing animals, being intelligent, social and similar to humans in numerous ways.

Source

Here you can find some interesting facts about chimpanzees to learn more about this amazing species.

• Chimpanzees commonly live in social communities. These communities are formed by several dozen animals.
• Unlike many other animals, chimpanzees can walk and stand upright. However, they usually walk on all four legs.
• These animals can easily climb trees and swing from branch to branch. They sleep in trees, as well.

Source

• Chimpanzees feed with fruits and plants. However, they can also eat insects, eggs and meat.
• They are able to use a series of tools to smash food. For instance, they use stones to smash nuts.
• Chimpanzee females are able to give birth at any time of the year.
• Females become adults at the age of 13, while males are considered adults at 16.

Source

• These intelligent primates live in a variety of environments. They can be found in western and central Africa.
• Chimpanzees have very long arms and a short body.
• They are covered with black hair on most of their body.
• Baby chimpanzees have pale skin and few hair.
• These primates have a great sense of hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch, just as humans. 
• Chimpanzees are capable of many expressions.

Source

• Some chimpanzee adult females become bald.
• One of the most curious things about chimpanzees is that their hands are very similar to the ones of humans. They have four long fingers and an opposable thumb.
• These animals can easily learn extremely complex tasks.
• Chimpanzees are active during the day.
• They live in groups, being highly social animals.

Source

• Young chimpanzees usually play a lot and learn numerous skills. They practice climbing, for instance.
• Chimpanzees have a very complex communication system. These animals have different cries when trying to communicate different things. They also use gestures to show their emotions and needs.
• Chimpanzees can live about 60 years in captivity. However, their lifespan in much reduced in the wild, where they usually live about 35 to 40 years. 
• The number of chimpanzees that still exist into the wild is decreasing. These animals are vulnerable to a series of diseases and predators, too.

Source

Even though chimpanzees have always been considered to be closely related to humans, a new study indicates the opposite. The study released this month shows that there are key differences in brain development between chimpanzees and humans.

Here is a video you can watch to see exactly how these primates live:

The branches shake and dark objects scatter across the treetops. If you are standing in the tropical forest you probably just heard monkeys over your head. Agile and acrobatic, monkeys easily leap through the forest but are often difficult to see and study. Most monkeys live in tropical regions in the Americas, Africa and Asia and spend much of their lives in treetops.

Like other primates, they have large brains, grasping hands and include species such as lemurs, apes, and humans. They are also very intelligent, and curious like all of us, have forward facing eyes for great depth perception.

Old World and New World Monkeys

Monkeys are basically divided into two main groups: Old World and New World Monkeys. These groups have been evolving independently and have adapted themselves to their habitat.

1. Old World Monkeys, such as mandrills and baboons are native to Africa and Asia. OId World monkeys live in a variety of different habitats, from grasslands to rainforests to snowy mountain peaks. The main physical features of the Old World Monkeys include:

• curved nostrils that are really close together;
• cheek pouches for storing food;
• sitting pads on their rears;
• tails that cannot grasp limbs and trees.

Source

2. New World Monkeys live in South and Central America as well as Mexico, mostly in the trees of the tropical rainforests. In general, New World monkeys have:

• nostrils that are far apart;
• no cheek pouches;
• no sitting pads on their rears;
• prehensile tails, which can firmly grasp limbs and trees.

Source

Communication

Monkeys communicate with hand gestures, facial expressions, and noises called vocalisations. Vocalisations can be quite complex and are often used to warn other monkeys or predators. Mother monkeys can distinguish the vocalisations of their own infants from other babies.

Staring is thought to be a threat in monkey communities. Staring is often followed by looking away if confrontation is to be avoided. Showing off teeth is often also interpreted as a threat. The video below, taken from a BBC documentary, shows the way monkeys communicate, as well how the leader of the group deals with interior conflict and threats. 

Monkeys’ Habitat Threatened

Source

Perhaps one of the greatest threat monkeys are facing today are not the fierce predators, but the fact they are losing ground, and consequently their habitat. Often, the building of the roads and massive deforestation destroys the areas monkeys use as homes. By focusing on environmental education and preserving habitats, as well as making laws to protect the monkeys, they may be spared from extinction.

Monkeys are cute, intelligent and lovable animals. Both children and adults adore them and actually many people keep monkeys into their homes as pets. There are many species of monkeys in the world today, about 264 being known until now. Most of them live in South America, Asia and Africa.

Source

Monkeys, as well as gorillas, are part of the primate family. Different species have different characteristics, sizes, color, location and abilities. However, all monkeys are known to be able to communicate with each other. Studies have shown that they have different communication rituals performed when sensing danger, when calling a mate, but also when communicating with their young ones. They offer great care to their young ones and are really smart.

Here are some interesting facts about monkeys.

• Monkeys are commonly included with Apes. However, the two species are very different. The main difference between them is that Apes have no tail. Apes are not part of the monkeys family.
• They are usually divided into the New World and the Old World Monkeys.
• Their sizes can vary a lot depending on the species, meaning that they can either be vary small or very large.
• They have opposable thumbs, which help them when climbing.
• Their fingers are much similar to the ones of humans and monkeys actually have fingerprints, too. 
• A monkey was convicted for smoking a cigarette in Indiana.

Source

• The Pygmy Marmoset is the smallest monkey in the world, while the Mandrill is the largest one.
• These animals feed with both plants and small animals. Some species actually eat dirt, too. Their usual diet includes fruits, grass, leaves, eggs and insects.
• Monkeys peel their bananas before eating.
• The South American Titi is one of the rarest monkey species. They are monogamous, meaning that they mate for life and become distressed when separated. They remain close to each other, showing their affection.

Source

• The loudest monkey can be heard from a distance of two to three miles. 
• Howler monkeys spend more than 80 percent of their time resting. 
• Most monkeys do not like to be touched.
• They are great swimmers.
• They can show love, anger, sadness or mourn. They also use body movement to communicate.
• Most monkeys have a large brain, this being the reason why they are believed to be smarter than any other type of primates.
• Monkeys make peace with each other and show affection by grooming. Grooming is a form of keeping their fur clean, but also of bonding.

• Monkeys are actually worshiped in India.
• The most common diseases diagnosed in monkeys are tuberculosis, simian herpes B and hepatitis infections. Most primates carry these diseases.
• In some parts of the world, including Southeast Asia and Africa, monkey brains are eaten, being considered a delicacy.
• Monkeys are among the most used animals in experiments, due to their physical and psychological similarity to humans. 
• They live in tress, grasslands, mountains and forests.

There are many other interesting facts about monkeys you should know. These animals are very curious and they are today considered to be exotic pets. Still, in some countries, keeping these animals as pets is illegal. When monkeys are kept in captivity, they have to be entertained otherwise they can become really destructive.

Monkeys can really be fascinating animals. They are smart and cute and you can easily connect with them. A monkey can be dressed, carried around and pet just like any other type of adorable pet. Thousands of people in the United States, but not only, keep such pets into their homes and they are surely finding their companions as really beautiful. If you are also thinking about taking a monkey in as a pet you should know that this can really be a great idea. However, you will have to be careful at some important aspects. A baby monkey can seem harmless, but you have to be very careful as the pets can become aggressive when reaching sexual maturity.

A monkey can easily develop a wide range of conditions when being kept as a pet. This is why it is very important to schedule regular visits at the vet, to make sure that your pet is healthy. This aspect is even more important when talking about families with children who are allowed to play with the monkey. Zoonotic diseases are considered to be the main risk of keeping a monkey into your home, as well as cold sores, herpes B and other kind of viruses. The monkey is not by nature an animal who can easily adapt to life in a home in which it will never have the possibility to interact with other animals. This is why specialists claim that the animal can become mentally disturbed and an increased level of care should be offered to it. Another important thing you should be aware of is that the animals commonly are quite messy and it takes time for them to be educated.

So, even though monkeys are highly intelligent, emotionally complex and long-lived animals, they need to grow in natural environments around other animals, as otherwise they can turn out being self-destructive. Testing the pet before taking it into your home and making sure that it has been properly vaccinated may be a good idea in being certain that it will not carry any kind of viruses or diseases. With the proper education, risks can be much reduced, as when the animals are educated and taken care of, the chances of developing an aggressive behavior are going to be really low. Still, not all monkeys can become pets, so you should choose a small-sized animal.

Monkeys are amazing animals, with an interesting development throughout the years. Nowadays, there are more that 260 species of monkey known around the world. Most of them primarily live on the ground, but this aspect will tend to vary depending on the species we may be referring to. These animals are considered to be very intelligent, aspect which has many times been proved during the years. There is no wonder after all that many species are considered to have close relationships with humans. Some people decide to keep them into their homes as pets, but the most controversial aspect regarding the relationship with humans remains the role that these animals have in research and their use in laboratories.

Depending on the species, monkey can have different a history and evolution. Actually, there are some areas in the world in which these animals have been considered agricultural pests. They were believed to be able to cause extensive damage to commercial and subsistence crops. In other areas, different species of monkey have attacked people, being from this point of view believed to represent a danger for humans, mostly for tourists. Still, the most controversial aspect about these animals remains their use in animal testing facilities. Some of the most commonly used monkey species with such purposes are Macaques and Rhesus Macaque monkey, but also Green Monkey. These are the monkey species which are considered to be most similar to humans, both physically and psychologically. The species are also believed to be easier to handle. And the figures seem to be quite shocking. Statistics indicate that only in the United States more than 50,000 primates have been used in experiments since the 1970s. Around 10,000 were used in the European Union.

Nowadays, there are numerous animal rights organizations and activists which are against this practice. Using these animals in laboratories for testing is not only considered to be unethical, but actually inhuman and something that should be banned by the law. These animals can be found in numerous medical laboratories, from this point of view being claimed that thanks to the primates numerous cures have been found and important medical breakthroughs have been made. The rabies vaccine is considered to be one of the most important findings that should be mentioned in this context. The relationship that monkeys have with humans has always been a complex and complicated one. These animals are known to be closely related to humans, actually some theories claiming that humans have evolved from monkey.

As technology advanced and lots of new research projects take place, many animals are used for tests. One of the most tested animals are monkeys. Monkeys have been subjected to many experiments, concerning animal protection associations in the entire world. Monkeys are tested to discover new things about diseases, but also for testing different products or theories. After a pill has been invented, the next step is testing it and observing the side effects. As monkeys are so similar to humans, they are used for this purpose, as well. Monkeys are infected with several viruses of different severe or incurable diseases. To some extent, this is useful because this is the way and the chance that we have to discover a lot of interesting things and maybe one day, we will be able to find the cure for AIDS or other incurable diseases.

Monkeys are not endangered only because they are subjected to a lot of laboratory experiments, but their habitat has been compromised. Industry has developed, as well as real estate market. A lot of buildings and factories are built and many areas are deforested. Additionally, pollution is also a huge problem. The results are devastating: there is not enough food and plants to protect the monkeys and their babies.

Monkeys are very interesting animals. Nonetheless, there are still a lot of things to find out about them, but this doesn’t mean that they have to be tested so much.  These incredible and smart animals are in danger, but we can still do a lot for them. Stopping massive deforestation is a solution, as well as keeping the air clean. This is available for the next generations, so parents have to explain their children that monkeys need our help, as well as other animals. In case we don’t want them to disappear, we have to fight for that. The same thing many associations try to do, but when there are so many material interests, it’s difficult to succeed. If not, we will not have the opportunity to admire them in the zoos or in the wild, which is very sad.