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Types of monkeys. Description, names and features of monkey species

Even if you really want to get a monkey at home, it is better to refrain from this. Better for both humans and monkeys. This is our opinion, but, nevertheless, monkeys are increasingly becoming pets. Before arguing against coexistence under the same roof with this primate, let's get acquainted a little with the systematics and biology of these monkeys.

The genus of macaques (Macaca Lacepede, 1799) unites 12 species (46 subspecies) of primates. Of these, pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina Linnacus, 1766), rhesus macaques (M. Mulata Zimmerman, 1780), Javanese macaques (M. Fascicularis Raffles, 1821) most often enter city apartments in different ways.




Macaques are compact stocky monkeys with strong limbs of almost equal length (Table 1). Between the fingers of the hands and feet there are small skin membranes. The hand is grasping, and the thumb of the hand is opposed to the rest with its pop. The head is rounded, the front part protrudes moderately. Above the nose and eye sockets, a thick bony ridge is clearly visible, more pronounced in males. Very large fangs. The ears are bare with a pointed top. In macaques, under the thyroid gland, there is a laryngeal sac that plays the role of a resonator. When eating, cheek pouches are clearly visible.

The coat is dense and varies in color. Adult animals have large ischial calluses. The pig-tailed macaque, or lapunder, one of the largest macaques, got its name from a thin, curled up tail 15-20 cm long, which is very reminiscent of a pretzel tail of a domestic pig. Despite the relatively long legs, his figure looks very strong and heavy.

The Javan macaque is the lightest of all species of the genus. The tail of these monkeys is the same length as the head and torso combined. Adults have white whiskers and whiskers. The rhesus macaque is a classic laboratory animal - a fairly large dense monkey with a tail that is half the length of the body. He has a dull coat, and his ears, face and hands are flesh-colored, his buttocks are red. In terms of numbers and geographical distribution, macaques are the most prosperous group of primates. They are found from Gibraltar to Japan in a wide variety of habitats.

The pig-tailed macaque occupies a relatively large territory: from Assam through Burma and Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, the island of Sumatra to Kalimantan. The Javan macaque lives in a vast area of ​​Southeast Asia - in Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Kampuchea. He lives on the Malay Peninsula, on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Philippines. It forms 21 geographical forms or subspecies. The rhesus macaque inhabits the entire front of India, with the exception of the south of the country, its range stretches to the coast of the East China Sea, in the southeast to Laos, Thailand and Burma.

Macaques are semi-arboreal, semi-terrestrial animals. Pig-tailed macaques live mainly on the ground, but in the forest or close to the edge of the forest. Javanese macaques prefer forested coasts, mangroves, coastal zones of rivers and lakes from lowlands to altitudes of 1200 m, they rarely leave trees and are very fond of swimming and diving. At low tide, animals descend from the trees and rush for prey - fish, crabs, shellfish. The name "crabeater" has stuck to the Javanese macaques. Crabs and shellfish are their favorite food (they break the shell of a crab with stone blows).

Rhesus macaques are undemanding to habitats, hardy and able to adapt to any environment, so only a small part of rhesus lives in forests and rocky areas. Large herds have infiltrated cultivated lands, settlements and centers of large cities, where their stay is protected by religious dogmas. Rhesuses swim and dive very well. The food of all macaques is varied: fruits, plant roots, young leaves, insects, larvae, mollusks, crustaceans.

They often raid plantations and crops where they eat rice, sugar cane, corn, potatoes. Macaques can forage in places that are avoided by all other primates. Macaques are diurnal monkeys, but special observations of rhesus have shown that bursts of activity in herd members (playing, feeding, sexual behavior), which intensify during the full moon, also occur during the night.

Macaques live in herd groups, which consist of several males, several females and their cubs of different ages. In such groups, hierarchical relationships are clearly traced. The herd occupies a certain area of ​​​​several square kilometers. Often the sites overlap, but usually the relationship is sorted out amicably. Members of the herd live a complex social life, so the sound and mimic repertoire of macaques is highly developed: 30 different sounds, wiggling of eyebrows, smacking, various postures that characterize their mood and hierarchical position among relatives.

Lapunders unite in small communities (about 40 individuals), which are led by the leader male. Old strong males are very aggressive, and often the change of power occurs by force. A male striving for the hierarchical top attacks relatives who are higher than him in rank, and not only often injures them, but also kills them. With a change in rank, the priority in mating, in the choice of food, in the direction of various types of behavior also changes.

Javanese macaques have a milder temperament. In groups of 4 to 70 individuals, they roam the coast in search of food, protecting more advantageous places from neighboring groups and aliens. Basically, their social life is the same as that of other macaques; Rhesus herds are formed from family groups led by one or more males and can reach large sizes - 200 individuals or more. Hierarchical relations within the group are strictly expressed.

Rhesuses are aggressive monkeys, but self-affirmation usually occurs peacefully with the help of gestures, postures, and facial expressions. The bloodless overcoming of conflicts increases the internal defense capability of the group, its cohesion. All types of macaques are able to breed year-round. Females have monthly sexual cycles. The lapunder has a cycle duration of 31 days, the Javan macaque and Rhesus - 28. In females of the pig-tailed macaque, the swelling of the genital skin is more pronounced than in females of the Javanese macaque and Rhesus. The cub in the herd is treated very carefully. Family ties between mother and offspring persist for many years.

The conditions for keeping monkeys are not much different from those for monkeys, but the lattices in the cage should be thicker, and the trees and other decorative elements and shelves in the cage should be more thoroughly strengthened, since macaques are superior to monkeys in their physical development. Captivity macaques endure relatively easily. When young, they are very cheerful and funny, and more often than other monkeys are found in amateurs. But, like monkeys, when they reach maturity, macaques become aggressive, especially males, and communication with them at home is difficult. As a rule, it is from this time that the owners try to part with their pet, since few people are able to equip the room where the monkey is kept with two cages with distillation.

And, besides, such a room or room most often does not decorate the interior of even the most expensive and spacious apartment. Wealthy people can equip a room for macaques in the winter garden of their cottage in full compliance with international standards for keeping animals, but this will already be a "piece" of the zoo's exposition. While a monkey is brought in precisely for constant and direct communication with it, naively believing that this animal is smarter than, say, a dog, and it is much easier for a person to find a "common language" with him.

Pig-tailed macaques are among the most intelligent among the lower primates. At home, they are trained to collect coconuts. Trained lapunderers deftly twist ripe fruits from palm trees. Javanese macaques are one of the most suitable monkeys for keeping in captivity. They are very hardy and less afraid of low temperatures. They are smaller than other species, more calm and not as aggressive. It was Javanese macaques that were constant companions of wandering circus performers and organ grinders.
Rhesus, as well as all other types of macaques and monkeys, will obey a person only if he manages to prove his dominant position. However, even with this, it is unlikely that they will be able to avoid their bites, which can have very serious consequences. Rhesus is especially dangerous for children. But at the same time, rhesus are easily trained - this is the most common circus monkey. In addition, if a macaque cub appears in the house, its owners will have to communicate very closely with it, since they must replace its mother.

In stressful situations, the cub will seek protection from foster parents. You can also make an artificial "mother" for him - a doll made of soft material, but even she will not be able to completely replace bodily contacts with a living being, which are extremely important for the mental and social development of monkey cubs. Rather, a good-natured dog will be able to replace the mother of a Rhesus or a lapunder. It must be remembered that females who grew up in isolation, in the future, when they themselves become mothers, cannot show as much love and care for their cubs as female monkeys in the wild.

It is very important for monkeys to diversify their habitat. They must not be left "idle" for long periods of time, otherwise the monkey will develop bad habits and aggressive behavior at an early age. It is necessary to put various chocks, safe toys in shreds of hay, grass, tree branches. It is very useful in the morning to scatter a handful of sunflowers, oats, wheat, corn, barley on the floor of the cage (well, if the grains are slightly germinated). In general, in order for the monkey not to be bored, good owners will have to dream up a lot.

Feeding macaques at home is not an easy process. In any case, "human" food is not suitable for them. We have already told in detail about what products the diet should be made of in the previous issue of the magazine ("ZooPrEce" No 8 (36), 2002 p). Captivity macaques tolerate easily, and their reproduction is not particularly difficult. If a couple of sexually mature macaques live in the house, then for sure they will have cubs and the owners will witness an increase in the family. Watching the parental behavior of the monkeys and the development of the cub is a great pleasure.

Before and after childbirth, one should try to create a calm environment for the monkeys, not allowing outsiders to the monkey cage, not teasing the female and male. You need to be very attentive to the giving birth female, in her room there must be clean boiled water. The life expectancy of monkeys in captivity is different: for lapunders up to 26 years, for Javan monkeys up to 36 years, and rhesus monkeys can live 25 years.

It must be remembered that in captivity macaques suffer from many human diseases, infectious and non-contagious (diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and others). Just like in people, each disease is individual. and most diseases can be avoided only thanks to the correct content. Rickets is the most common ailment caused by errors in keeping monkeys. Very often macaques with a profound metabolic disorder are brought to the zoo due to improper feeding. In little freaks with a large head, a sagging back and a huge belly, rickets reaches such a degree that a cure is difficult, and often impossible.

I. Skiba, head. Department of Carnivores of the Leningrad Zoo

The northernmost and, logically, the most frost-resistant monkeys live in the Land of the Rising Sun. The scientific name of the species is the Japanese macaque (not the macaque, as we used to say).

Description of the Japanese macaque

To date, 2 subspecies of the Japanese macaque, which is part of the marmoset family, have been described.. These are the Macaca fuscata yakui (with oval eye sockets) exclusive to Yakushima Island and the more numerous Macaca fuscata fuscata (with round eye sockets) inhabiting several other islands.

Appearance

Japanese monkeys look more powerful, strong and heavy compared to other macaques. Males grow to almost a meter (0.8–0.95 m), gaining up to 11 kg. Females are slightly lower and lighter (average weight does not exceed 9 kg). The beard and sideburns, characteristic of both sexes, do not interfere with distinguishing between males and females, since sexual dimorphism is quite pronounced.

By winter, long fur is complemented by growing thick undercoat. The longest hair is observed on the shoulders, forelimbs and back, and the shortest - on the abdomen and chest. The fur is colored differently: from gray-blue to gray-brown and olive with a brown tint. The belly is always lighter than the back and limbs.

Superciliary ridges hang over the eyes, more convex in males. The most developed area of ​​the brain is the cerebral cortex.

This is interesting! The sight of the macaque is extremely developed (in comparison with other sense organs) and is very similar to the human. It is stereoscopic: the monkey estimates the distance and sees a three-dimensional picture.

The Japanese macaque has cheek pouches - two internal skin outgrowths on both sides of the mouth, hanging down to the chin. On the limbs there are five fingers, where the thumb is opposed to the others. Such a palm allows you to both hold objects and easily manipulate them.

The Japanese macaque has small ischial calluses (typical of all marmosets), and the tail does not grow longer than 10 cm. As the monkey grows older, its light skin (on the muzzle and near the tail) becomes rich pink and even red.

Lifestyle, character

The Japanese macaque is active during the day, searching for food in a favorite position on all fours.. Females sit more in trees, while males roam the ground more often. Periods of intense foraging give way to rest, when macaques communicate with each other, take a nap or chew cheek reserves.

Often, at their leisure, animals clean the wool of their relatives. This kind of grooming performs 2 functions, hygienic and social. In the latter case, macaques build and consolidate relationships within the group. So, they clean the fur of the dominant individual for a very long time and carefully, expressing their special respect and, at the same time, hoping for its support in a conflict situation.

Hierarchy

Japanese macaques create a community (10-100 individuals) with a fixed territory, led by a large male, who is distinguished not so much by strength as by intelligence. The rotation of the alpha male is possible in the event of his death or in the event of the breakup of the former group into two. The decision to choose a leader is made by a dominant female or several females related by blood and social ties.

A subordination/dominance scheme also works between females, and it turned out that daughters automatically inherit the status of their mother. In addition, young sisters are one step higher than older sisters.

Daughters, even growing up, do not leave their mothers, while sons leave the family, creating bachelor companies. Sometimes they adjoin foreign groups where there are females, but occupy a low position here.

Sound signals

The Japanese macaque, as a social primate, needs constant communication with relatives and strangers, for which he uses an extensive arsenal of sounds, gestures and facial expressions.

Zoologists have classified 6 types of verbal signals, establishing that half of them are friendly in nature:

  • peaceful;
  • infant;
  • warning;
  • protective;
  • during the estrus period;
  • aggressive.

This is interesting! When moving through the forest and during a meal, Japanese macaques make specific gurgling sounds that help group members determine their location.

Ability to learn

In 1950, biologists at the University of Tokyo decided to train the macaques living on about. Cosima, to yam (sweet potato), scattering it on the ground. In 1952, they were already eating sweet potatoes, cleaning sand and dirt with their paws, until a 1.5-year-old female Imo washed the sweet potato in river water.

Her behavior was copied by her sister and mother, and by 1959, 15 out of 19 young monkeys and 2 out of eleven adult monkeys were rinsing the tubers in the river. In 1962, the habit of washing sweet potatoes before eating became established in almost all Japanese macaques, except for those born before 1950.

Now Japanese macaques can also wash wheat mixed with sand: they throw the mixture into the water, separating both ingredients. Along with this, macaques have learned how to make snowballs. Biologists suggest that this is how they seal excess products in the snow, which they will feast on later.

Lifespan

In nature, Japanese macaques live up to 25-30 years, in captivity - more. In terms of life expectancy, females are slightly ahead of males: the former live (on average) for 32 years, while the latter live for about 28 years.

Range, habitats

The natural range of the Japanese macaque covers three islands - Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu.

On the island of Yakushima, the southernmost in the archipelago of the Japanese Islands, Macaca fuscata yakui lives, an independent subspecies of macaques. Representatives of this population differ not only in the shape of the eye sockets and shorter fur, but also in some behavioral features.

Tourists who come to see the hardy monkeys often refer to them as snow monkeys.. Indeed, animals have long adapted to snow (which does not melt for about 4 months a year) and cold weather, when the average temperature is kept at -5 ° C.

To save themselves from hypothermia, macaques descend into hot springs. The only disadvantage of such heating is wet wool, which seizes in the cold when leaving the source. And you have to leave the warm “bath” for a regular snack.

This is interesting! The macaques figured out a way out by leaving a couple of "waiters" on land to serve dinner to those sitting in the springs. In addition, basking monkeys are also fed by compassionate tourists.

Snow macaques occupied not only all Japanese forests from the highlands to the subtropics, but also penetrated the North American continent.

In 1972, one of the farmers brought one and a half hundred monkeys to his ranch in the United States, who a few years later found a loophole in the fence and fled. Thus, an autonomous population of Japanese macaques appeared in Texas.

In Japan, these monkeys are recognized as a national treasure and are reverently protected at the state level.

Japanese macaque food

This species of primates is completely illegible in food and does not have pronounced gastronomic preferences. Zoologists have calculated that there are about 213 plant species readily eaten by Japanese macaques.

The menu of monkeys (especially in the cold season) includes:

  • shoots and bark of trees;
  • leaves and rhizomes;
  • nuts and fruits;
  • crustaceans, fish and shellfish;
  • small vertebrates and insects;
  • bird eggs;
  • food waste.

If there is a lot of food, the animals use their cheek pouches to stuff them with food in reserve. When lunch time comes, the monkeys settle down to rest and take out food hidden in their cheeks, which is not so easy to do. Normal muscular effort is lacking and the monkeys use their hands to squeeze supplies from the bag into their mouths.

This is interesting! Even when eating, macaques follow a strict hierarchy. The leader is the first to start eating, and only then those who are lower in rank. Not surprisingly, the poorest cuts go to monkeys of low social status.

The most northern monkey, unpretentious, covered with thick fur.

Systematics

Russian name - Japanese macaque, Snow monkey

Latin name - Macaca fuscata

English name - Japanese macaque, Snow monkey

Class - Mammals (Mammalia)

Order - Primates

Family - Monkeys (Cercopithecidae)

Genus - Macaque (Macaca)

There are two subspecies of the Japanese macaque - Macaca fuscata fuscata, the most common and characterized by a rounded shape of the eye sockets, and Macaca fuscata yakui, living only on Yakushima Island and having oval eye sockets.

The status of the species in nature

The existence of these monkeys in nature is currently not threatened, however, international trade in these animals is limited by the Convention - CITES II.

The total number of Japanese macaques is 114.5 thousand.

View and person

Japanese macaques coexist quite peacefully next to humans. Perhaps it is this species of monkeys that has been studied better than others. There are populations of individually identifiable animals that have been closely monitored for more than 50 years. It is the Japanese macaques that people owe the deepest knowledge about the behavior and social organization of primate communities. This knowledge is of great help to ethologists and psychologists in constructing scientific hypotheses.

Japanese macaques, with their unusual behavior, actively attract tourists, who bring considerable income to the country.

Distribution area and habitats

The very name of these monkeys indicates the location of their range - the Japanese Islands, or rather, northern Japan. Macaques live in all types of forests - from subtropical to mountainous, they also go to the sea coast, where they enter the sea, swim and even dive in search of algae. Winter in the habitats of Japanese macaques lasts 4 months, and the average air temperature at this time of the year is -5 ° - not the most comfortable weather for monkeys. Japanese macaques are known for climbing into hot springs in cold weather, of which there are many in Japan.

Folk legends tell that the first monkey was in the source by accident - he collected spilled food and fell into the water. Once in a warm "bath", she hesitated to get out onto land, and the rest of the macaques, noticing the contented expression on the muzzle of their tribeswoman, followed her example. Since that time, periodic bathing has become widespread.

In 1972, one of the North American farmers brought one and a half hundred Japanese macaques to his ranch. A few years later, the monkeys escaped safely through a leaky fence and formed a free-living population in Texas.

Appearance

The Japanese macaque is distinguished by its strong build and powerful limbs. It is heavier than other macaque species by weight; males weigh an average of 11 kg with a height of 80-95 cm, females are lower and weigh an average of 9 kg. The fur is quite long; a thick undercoat grows for the winter. Coloring in different animals has pleasant shades from brownish-gray through grayish-blue to brown-olive; the belly is painted in lighter colors. The coat on the forelimbs, shoulders and back is longer than on other parts of the body, and on the chest and abdomen the coat is less developed.

Tail no more than 10 cm; ischial calluses, characteristic of macaques and monkeys, are small. There are cheek pouches, which are two internal folds on both sides of the mouth, forming skin outgrowths directed downward and hanging down to the level of the chin. The skin, which is light on the whole body, on the face and near the tail, becomes intensely pink and even red when the monkey becomes an adult. Sexual differences in adult animals are clearly visible, despite the fact that representatives of both sexes wear a beard and sideburns - males are more massive than females.

The eyes are protected by superciliary ridges, more pronounced in males. Of all the senses, vision is the most developed. It is, like a human, stereoscopic, which means that the macaque sees a three-dimensional image and estimates the distance.

The limbs are five-fingered, the thumbs on both hands and feet are opposed to the rest, which allows both to hold on to various objects and to perform rather subtle manipulations with them. The most developed part of the brain is the cerebral cortex.






Lifestyle and social behavior

The Japanese macaque is a diurnal animal; like other primates, it spends most of its time looking for food. Periods of activity alternate with periods of relative rest, when the animals eat food placed in their cheek pouches, communicate with each other, or simply take a nap. To communicate with relatives, the Japanese macaque has an extensive repertoire of facial expressions and sound signals.

Japanese macaques live in groups of up to 20 individuals, in which individuals of both sexes are present. Each group has its own habitat. The leader of the group is a large strong male, and, as it turned out, not the most aggressive, but the most "smart". The decisive role in the choice of leader is played by the main female, or a group of females, between which there are the closest social ties. The change of the alpha male (leader) occurs either in the event of his death, or when a large group breaks up, when a vacant position is formed. The relations of females in the group are built on the basis of dominance-submission. Studies have shown that daughters inherit their mother's status, with younger daughters having a higher rank than their older sisters. Young males, growing up, leave the group, form bachelor "companies", or join other groups where there are females, occupying the lower levels of the hierarchy. Daughters usually stay with their mothers.

Of particular importance in the behavior of monkeys is grooming - cleaning the coat of a partner. This behavior performs important functions - hygienic and social. Grooming enables animals to build and strengthen their relationships in the group. For example, the dominant individual is cleaned especially long and carefully in order to express his “respect” to her, and at the same time to enlist support in case of a conflict. There are many theories to explain the reasons for grooming, but it is clear that the monkey enjoys being groomed.

Japanese macaques have become famous for their ability to learn. This story began in 1950. On the island of Koshima, researchers from the University of Tokyo began to give macaques sweet potato - sweet potato, scattering it on the ground. By 1952, the monkeys began to actively eat it. The animals liked the sweet potato, but they didn't like the sand that stuck to it. At first, the monkeys cleaned the dirt and sand with their paws and ate the treat, but one day, in 1953, a one and a half year old female named Imo, before eating the sweet potato, washed it from the dirt in the river. From that moment on, she began to do this all the time. Her mother and sister were the first to follow her example, and by 1959, 15 out of 19 young monkeys that lived on the island, and 2 out of 11 adults, were already washing sweet potatoes. By January 1962, almost all the monkeys in the colony of Fr. Cosima habitually washed potatoes before eating. Only a few adult monkeys born before 1950 did not learn how to do this.

When a new form of behavior, which initially appeared in one individual, is gradually perceived by others, this is nothing more than the transfer of information between members of the community. This process lies already at the origins of culture - protoculture, as experts call it, or monkey culture.

Currently, Japanese macaques "wash" wheat mixed with sand, throwing it into the water, and thus separating the two components. In addition, these monkeys are famous for making snowballs in winter, apparently just for fun.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Japanese macaques are unpretentious creatures and are illegible in food. Scientists have found that they eat about 213 species of plants - they eat shoots, fruits, even bark. They enjoy catching insects in the summer. In winter, when food is scarce, they look for nuts, gnaw at the bark of trees and young twigs, and eat food waste.

During feeding, macaques actively use their cheek pouches, stuffing them with delicious food. When the group rests, nuts or other food is taken out of the bags and eaten. In order to squeeze food out of the bag into the oral cavity, muscle efforts are not enough, and the monkey has to help himself with his hands.

Interesting behavior is seen in groups of macaques using hot springs. After a hot bath in wet wool, it is even colder in the frost, and those monkeys who have not bathed bring food to those taking a bath. True, the macaques, sitting in warm water in winter, are actively fed by tourists.

Vocalization

Japanese macaques have a fairly rich acoustic repertoire. They can scream loudly, and in different situations, these cries are different. While feeding or moving through the forest, monkeys often make characteristic gurgling sounds, thanks to which each individual knows where the rest of the group is.

Reproduction and education of offspring

Japanese macaques have a pronounced seasonality in breeding, which is an adaptation to the harsh living conditions. Since there are several sexually mature males in the group, the father of all born babies is not necessarily the main male. The leader mates primarily with dominant females, and females, in turn, often reject the claims of young "impudent". Young males often leave their group in summer to try their luck on the side, but return by winter.

Pregnancy lasts from 170 to 180 days, the cub is born alone, twins are extremely rare. The weight of the baby at birth is about 500 grams, after a couple of hours he clings tightly to the mother's coat. In the first month, he "rides" on his chest, then more and more often - on the back of his parent. The arrival of a newborn is an event for the whole group. Females always come up and touch him. When a little monkey grows up, his aunts and older sisters nurse and play with him with pleasure, but the baby runs to his mother to escape from violent games. Milk feeding lasts up to a year, but for a long time the mother takes care of him, warms him in the cold winter. Only at the age of three does a young animal become a full-fledged member of a teenage company, at which time her mother already has a new newborn.

Lifespan

In nature, macaques live for 25-30 years, longer in captivity.

History of Life at the Zoo

The first Japanese macaque appeared in our zoo in 1978, having arrived from Sweden. Later, more monkeys were brought in, and a breeding group formed. For many years, Japanese macaques have been living in an enclosure near the bridge leading from the Old Territory to the New Territory. In the open enclosure, they walk all year round and always have free access to a small indoor enclosure, where it is warm in winter. However, these monkeys are not embarrassed by the Moscow winters; up to 20 degrees of frost, they go out for a walk. Macaques do not like only sudden deep snow. Then they may not dare to leave the warm room for 1-2 days. In the outdoor enclosure there is a pool where they drink water in the summer and occasionally bathe.

They feed Japanese macaques twice a day: they give fruits, vegetables, branches, cereals, eggs, cottage cheese.

Unfortunately, visitors often throw not only bread and bananas into the enclosure (which is also not worth doing - their metabolism is disturbed from an excess of carbohydrates), but also dangerous objects that monkeys can get hurt on. Please don't do this, take care of our animals!

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Why are monkeys so good at climbing trees?

Most primates of the order of mammals, which include prosimians and monkeys, including anthropoids, are well adapted to climbing. In almost all species, the forelimbs are longer than the hind limbs. The reliability of the girth of a branch and other rounded objects is ensured by opposing the first finger to the rest. Powerful hind limbs with large feet help the monkeys to jump and maintain balance while walking. In some New World monkeys, the tail serves as a kind of fifth limb.

To move from tree to tree, primates do not need to descend to the ground. The long forelimbs of the gibbon with very long fingers make it difficult to move on the ground, but with their help this acrobat monkey quickly flies through the trees, intercepting the branches with one or the other hand.

Why does a monkey have a tail?

Great apes - gibbons, orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees - are tailless. In other monkeys, the length of the tail usually correlates with the length of the body, although in some large species, such as mandrills, the tail is very short, resembling a stump.

In different species of monkeys, the tail can perform different functions: serve as a balancer, a device for flight, or an additional arm. Thin-bodied monkeys, mangabeys and monkey-hussars, flying from tree to tree, use their hairy tail as a rudder or aerodynamic brake, and on the ground it serves as a prop for them. The lower surface of the tip of the tail of howler monkeys, coats and woolly monkeys is devoid of hair, but it does have tactile ridges. Koata wields his tail so deftly that he can pick up a small nut with it, but at the same time this tail is able to support the weight of a monkey.


Are gorillas evil

Many animals have been stereotyped based on their appearance, but few have been as unlucky as the gorilla in this regard. Long-term observations of this rapidly disappearing species of monkeys show that gorillas are not at all fierce animals, but peaceful vegetarians; they spend most of their time playing, resting and looking for food.

Despite its large size, impressive fangs and threatening roar, the male gorilla frightens more than attacks. In an excited state, he beats his chest, makes a number of different sounds, stuffs his mouth with leaves and branches, and, rising to his full height, breaking young trees, goes on an attack, which almost always ends before he reaches the enemy. This behavior tends to scare off intruders - be it gorillas, other large animals, or humans.


carnivorous monkeys

While most monkeys primarily eat nuts, fruits, and other plant foods, many also eat insects, eggs, and small lizards. African chimpanzees have been reported to frequently eat baby antelopes, bush pigs, and red fat bodies (colobus). In Tanzania's Gombe National Park, male chimpanzees hunt in groups and kill up to 60-70 animals annually.


Why do monkeys search and scratch each other?

Some primates spend several hours a day removing skin flakes, insects and other debris from each other's fur. This behavior, known as grooming, serves a more social than hygienic function. Among animals such as chimpanzees and baboons that live in large groups, grooming helps to strengthen friendships; it is often resorted to in order to appease a male who occupies a dominant position in the herd or is aggressive.


How do monkeys learn?

In the primate community, the basic unit, both in terms of learning and in other respects, is the mother and cubs. Mothers feed their babies, keep them warm, protect them from danger and, at least initially, serve as a means of transportation for them. Monkey cubs very early begin to understand the signals that the mother gives with gestures and voice.

Under the supervision of their mother, they first move on low branches, gradually rising higher and higher. When cubs are weaned, some adult monkeys try different foods in front of them, showing what can and cannot be eaten. In lower apes, babies mature earlier than in anthropoids, and therefore they have less time to learn. For example, koats spend only 6 months with their mother; orangutans - 3-4 years, and chimpanzees - 5-6 years.

Different primates live in different plant layers. Small leaf-eating monkeys stay at the top of the canopy; monkeys with a more varied diet, such as macaques and capuchins, occupy the space between the middle of the trees and the forest floor.

Naturally, not all monkeys are equally good at climbing trees. Small red fat-bodies feast on leaves and flowers on the tops of trees, and 30 m below an adult male gorilla can eat leaves and young shoots while standing on the ground. But female gorillas, which are smaller than males, and cubs climb trees in search of food, as well as to play and relax. Great apes rarely sleep on the ground, except perhaps for large gorillas; other monkeys, even those that spend most of the day on the ground, never do so.

Koats cling to branches not only with their hands, but also with their feet and tail. They, like some other South American monkeys, at the tip of the tail, which serves as an additional limb, have a bare area covered with skin scallops, thanks to which they better feel the strength of their grip.

Gibbons, the smallest of the great apes, jump from tree to tree, intercepting branches with one or the other hand. They have long arms and a five-fingered hand adapted for grasping. On the ground, they walk upright, with their arms extended in front of them or raising them above their heads.

Monkeys, of which there are up to 20 species, are one of the most beautiful monkeys. The coloration of monkeys is diverse; in addition, they often have special markings, such as a spot on the nose. Monkeys live in the forests of Africa, with different species occupying different tiers. So, dianas prefer the tops of trees, and hussar monkeys spend daytime on the forest floor.

A monkey (anthropoid, the highest primate) is a mammal that is closest in structure to humans, belongs to the order of primates, the suborder of dry-nosed primates, the infraorder monkey-like (Simiiformes).

The origin of the Russian word “monkey” is quite interesting. Until the 16th century, the monkey in Rus' was called “opitsa” - just as the Czechs call it now. At the same time, the Persians called the monkey "busine". According to one version, Afanasy Nikitin brought this name with him from his travels and used it in his work “Journey Beyond the Three Seas”. According to another version, the monkey got its name from the word "abuzina". At the same time, Ushakov's dictionary specifies that "abuzina" is translated from Arabic as "father of fornication".

Monkey - description, characteristics, structure, photo. What does a monkey look like?

The body length of an adult monkey can vary from 15 cm (for a pygmy marmoset) to 2 meters (for a male gorilla). The weight of the monkey also depends on the species. If the body weight of a small monkey barely reaches 150 grams, then individual gorillas weigh up to 275 kg.

Most arboreal monkey species have long backs, short and narrow chests, and thin hips.

Gibbons and orangutans have a wide chest, as well as massive pelvic bones.

Some monkeys have a long tail that exceeds the length of the body and acts as a balancer when moving through the trees.

Apes living on the ground are distinguished by a short tail, while the great apes do not have a tail at all.

The body of the monkeys is more or less covered with hair of various colors from light brown and red to black and white and gray-olive.

Adults sometimes turn gray over the years, and male monkeys even go bald in the same way as people.

Monkeys are characterized by mobile, well-developed upper limbs, endowed with 5 fingers, the phalanxes of which end in nails, as well as opposition of the thumb.

The extent to which the monkey's arms and legs are developed depends directly on the lifestyle.

Monkeys, who spend most of their lives in trees, have short thumbs, which makes it easy to fly from branch to branch with the help of limb swings.

But, for example, the feet of baboons are long and graceful, convenient for walking on the ground.

The vision of most monkeys is binocular, and the whites of the eyes are as black as the pupils.

The dentition is similar to that of humans, but differs between narrow-nosed and broad-nosed monkeys. Narrow-nosed monkeys have 32 teeth, broad-nosed monkeys have 36.

The teeth of great apes are massive and have a complex root structure.

The brain of the monkey is well developed and has a complex structure.

Great apes have highly developed parts of the brain responsible for meaningful movements.

Monkeys communicate using a special signal system, consisting of facial expressions and sounds. Monkeys and capuchins are considered especially noisy and talkative.

Both ways of transmitting information in monkeys are well developed and can demonstrate the widest range of feelings, which is expressed, first of all, by rich facial expressions.

Monkeys live on almost all continents: in Europe (namely, in Gibraltar), in the south and southeast of Asia (in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, in China, Japan), in Africa (except Madagascar), in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, in Australia. Monkeys do not inhabit Antarctica.

Chimpanzee live in the countries of West and Central Africa: Senegal, Guinea, Angola, Congo, Chad, Cameroon and others.

Habitat macaques extends from hot Afghanistan to the countries of Southeast Asia, including Japan. On the territory of North Africa and Gibraltar, the Magot macaque lives, representing the family as the only species. Macaques live in Cambodia and Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, not too large populations are found in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

Gorillas live in the equatorial forests of western and central Africa. Populations are found in the Gambia and Cameroon, in Mauritania and Chad, inhabit Guinea and Benin.

orangutans live only in the humid forests of the islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Monkey howler monkeys live mainly in the countries of southern Mexico and Brazil, in Bolivia and Argentina.

Monkeys live in Southeast Asia, throughout the Arabian Peninsula and the African continent. In Europe, monkeys live only on Gibraltar.

Almost all varieties gibbons live only in the Asian region. Their natural range is the forest areas of India and Malaysia, the humid tropical thickets of Burma, Cambodia and Thailand, Vietnam and China.

Hamadryas (baboons) distributed almost throughout Africa, being the only primates living in the northeastern part of the continent (Egypt and Sudan). Baboons are also found on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula.

Habitat capuchins includes vast expanses of tropical rainforest from Honduras in the north of the range to southern Brazil and Venezuela in the south.

tamarins they prefer to settle in the warmest regions of Central America, in climate-friendly Costa Rica and in favorable South America - that is, almost throughout the entire area of ​​​​the fertile Amazonian lowland. Certain types of tamarins feel great in Bolivia and in Brazil.

Monkey baboons very widespread in Central and East Africa: they live in Kenya and Uganda, in Ethiopia and Sudan, in the Congo and Angola.

Monkey saki- Inhabitants of South America. Found in Venezuela, Colombia, Chile.

How do monkeys live?

Some monkeys live in trees: some prefer to live in the very crowns, others live in the lower tiers, but leave their homes in case of emergency.

Terrestrial monkeys live in a certain individual area, but the borders are rarely guarded. Random confrontations between a dominant male and a lone male usually end in a visual display of superiority, and it rarely comes to a fight.

The average life expectancy of monkeys is 30-40 years, some monkeys live up to 50 years.

Monkeys are omnivorous animals, and the diet of each species depends on the habitat. Tree monkeys eat what can be obtained from trees: leaves, buds, young shoots, nuts, fruits. Sometimes insects are added to food.

Terrestrial monkeys have a much greater choice of food: they eat the rhizomes and shoots of plants, including ferns - a favorite delicacy of the gorilla.

All monkeys have a varied diet and, in addition to various sugary fruits (figs, mangoes,), they are happy to eat fish, shellfish, rodents, and everything else edible that they can find or catch.

Some species of monkeys eat a certain type of food: for example, Japanese short-tailed macaques eat only the bark of trees, the crab-eating macaque feeds exclusively on crabs, and marmosets extract and eat gum with their long incisors.

Chimpanzees, in addition to being the only monkey species capable of creating hunting equipment to facilitate the process of obtaining food, attack birds, small animals and medium-sized monkeys, including other chimpanzees.

But baboons always hunt in large groups, therefore they are one of the most dangerous predators of the jungle.

Types of monkeys, names and photos

The infraorder Apes is subdivided into 2 parvoorders:

  • broad-nosed monkeys(Platyrrhini), which includes species of monkeys that live in Central and South America.
  • narrow-nosed monkeys(Catarrhini) - species of monkeys living in Africa, Asia, 1 species lives in Europe (Gibraltar).

The modern classification identifies more than 400 species of monkeys or higher primates. Each type of monkey is individual in its own way, but they all have common features. Among the diversity of representatives of the order of primates, the following varieties of monkeys are of greatest interest:

  • (Alouatta caraya)

member of the spider monkey family. The howler monkey makes characteristic roaring sounds that can be heard for 5 km. The males are covered with black wool, the female monkey is distinguished by a yellow-brown or olive color, the cubs are colored golden yellow. The length of the male monkey is 52-67 cm with a weight of 6.7 kg, the females are much smaller and grow up to 49 cm in size with a weight of 4.4 kg. The basis of the diet is fruits and foliage. The howler monkey lives in Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina.

  • Mourning capuchin(Cebus olivaceus)

species of monkeys from the chain-tailed family. The weight of the male monkey reaches 3 kg, the female is a third smaller. The color of the monkey is brown or light brown, with a grayish tinge, on the head there is a characteristic triangle of black hair. Inside the pack, infanticide is practiced - the deliberate killing of cubs, as well as grooming - the mutual sorting of wool. To protect themselves from blood-sucking insects, monkeys rub themselves with poisonous centipedes. Black capuchins are omnivorous and eat a variety of insects, small vertebrates, fruits, and young shoots of trees. They live in the crowns of the virgin forests of Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname.

  • Crowned monkey (blue monkey)(Cercopithecus mitis)

got its name due to the gray color with a blue tint and a white stripe of wool passing over the eyebrows like a crown. The body length of an adult is from 50 to 65 cm, body weight is 4-6 kg. The male monkey is distinguished by well-developed white whiskers and long fangs compared to females. This species of animal is widespread in the forests and bamboo groves of the African continent, from the Congo Basin to Ethiopia, Zambia and Angola.

  • White-handed gibbon (lar) (Hylobates lar)

species of great apes of the gibbon family. Adult monkeys of both sexes grow up to 55-63 cm in length and have a body weight of 4-5.5 kg. The color of the monkey's fur can be black, brown or sand, and the arms and legs are always white. The basis of the monkey's diet is fruits, leaves and insects. White-handed gibbons are monogamous and lead a predominantly arboreal lifestyle in the rainforests of China and the Malay Archipelago.

  • eastern gorilla(Gorilla beringei)

the biggest monkey in the world. According to well-known zoologists, a giant male gorilla was killed by hunters at the beginning of the last century: his height was 2 m 32 cm. Usually, the size of a male monkey reaches 185 cm with a body weight of 160 kg (sometimes 220 kg). Gorilla females are much smaller, the body length of an adult is 150 cm and weighs 70-114 kg. Massive animals, characterized by a large head, broad shoulders, developed chest and long legs. The color of the coat is mostly black, in the subspecies of mountain gorillas it casts blue. A strip of silvery fur runs along the back of seasoned males. Monkeys feed on all parts of plants, less often on invertebrates and fungi.

  • Pale saki (white-headed saki)(Pithecia pithecia)

a species of broad-nosed monkeys with long and shaggy hair, rarely leaving the trees. The size of adult animals reaches from 30 to 48 cm in length, the male monkey weighs about 2 kg, the female monkey is slightly lighter. The black color of the coat of males contrasts markedly with the white or pink complexion. The females are black-gray or gray-brown and similarly pale. The monkeys' food consists of seeds and fruits from various trees native to Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil.

  • Hamadryl (frilled baboon)(Papio hamadryas)

a species of narrow-nosed monkeys of the genus baboons, spending their entire lives on earth. The body length of adult males is 70-100 cm with a weight of about 30 kg. The female monkey is 2 times smaller than the male. The male monkey is distinguished by the original location of the hairline: long hair on the shoulders and chest forms a kind of fur cape. The color of the fur resembles the color of dry grass, and the female monkey is colored darker. The diet of hamadryas is dominated by plant rhizomes, insects, worms and snails, as well as crops from nearby plantations. Hamadryla monkeys live in the open spaces of African and Asian countries: Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Nubia, Yemen.

  • nosach, or kahau (Nasalis larvatus)

an animal from the subfamily of thin-bodied monkeys of the monkey family. The monkey lives exclusively on the island of Borneo, forming populations in the tropical forests of its coastal regions. The color of the nosed monkey is yellowish-brown, with a whitish undercoat. The coat on the limbs and tail of the monkey has a gray tint, the muzzle is hairless, often bright red. The size of the mammal varies from 66 to 77 cm, with the monkey's tail being about the same length. The weight of a male is 15-22 kg, female monkeys are usually twice as light. A special difference between the proboscis is an unusual hanging nose. In males, with age, it grows to a huge size, so the monkey has to hold his nose to eat leaves, fruits or flowers of plants.

  • Japanese macaque ( Macaca fuscata)

a species of monkey, mainly living in the northern part of the island of Honshu. At the end of the last century, a small population of Japanese macaques was artificially settled in Texas, where today these animals feel great. The population living on Yakushima Island is usually classified as a separate subspecies - Macaca fuscata yakui, which is associated with some differences in the behavior and appearance of macaques. The height of the male Japanese macaque varies between 80-95 cm, weight - from 12 to 14 kg, the female monkey is slightly lower, and almost 1.5 times less in weight. The macaque monkey is the owner of bright red skin, which is especially noticeable on the muzzle and buttocks, which are completely devoid of wool. Thick wool has a dark gray color with a slight brown tint. The tail of the monkey is quite short, rarely exceeding a length of 10 cm. Japanese macaques usually choose forests, both tropical and located in mountainous areas, as their habitat. They are kept in groups, often reaching 100 individuals, where a strict hierarchy reigns. In the northern regions of Japan, where the snow cover lasts for 3-4 months and the average winter air temperature is -4-5 ° C, macaques survive frosty days in natural hot springs, basking in their thermal waters. Surprisingly, in order not to freeze wet on a campaign for food, these resourceful monkeys make a duty schedule: while some individuals sit in warm water, others, with dry hair, bring them food. Monkeys feed on leaves and roots of plants, sweet fruits of tropical trees, bird eggs, insects, mollusks and crustaceans, and fish.

  • Sumatran orangutan ( Pongo abelii)

a species of monkey that lives exclusively on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Sumatran orangutan is a fairly large animal. The growth of an adult male can reach one and a half meters or more with a weight of 150-165 kg. Females have somewhat smaller dimensions - their height does not exceed 1 meter, and their weight is 50-55 kg. Monkeys have well-developed muscles, a massive body covered with hard reddish-brown hair, which is quite long in the shoulder area. The forelimbs of an orangutan in a span often reach 3 meters, the hind limbs are short, with wide, stable feet. The males of the Sumatran orangutan are distinguished by an unusual muzzle: clearly defined fatty rollers are located on the cheeks, and the beard and mustache give the animal a slightly funny look. The diet of the Sumatran orangutan is dominated mainly by plant foods - leaves, bark, nuts, sweet fruits, however, the monkey will not refuse to eat bird eggs and chicks, grasshoppers, spiders

  • common chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes)

a species of monkey whose habitat covers the forested areas of the tropics and humid savannahs of the African continent, especially its western and central parts. Sexually mature male chimpanzees reach a height of 140-160 cm, and monkeys weigh in the range of 65-80 kg. Females weigh 40-50 kg with a height of 120-130 cm. The body of animals is covered with very coarse, hard wool of a dark brown hue. Near the mouth and on the coccyx, the coat is partially white, but the feet, palms and muzzle of the monkey are completely devoid of it. Common chimpanzees are practically omnivorous, although the bulk of the diet is still plant foods. These monkeys are happy to eat nuts and fruits, sweet potato leaves and tubers, feed on mushrooms and termites, feast on sweet honey, bird eggs and small vertebrates. It is not uncommon for a flock of chimpanzees to successfully hunt red colobuses (primates from the marmoset family) and even young ungulates, making up for the lack of nutrients with meat. Chimpanzee monkeys are the only primates that can create a semblance of tools that facilitate the process of obtaining food: they skillfully sharpen the ends of sticks and twigs, turning them into an imitation of a spear, use palm leaves as traps for insects, use stones as projectiles.

  • pygmy marmoset ( Cebuella pygmaea)

it is the smallest monkey in the world. Adults grow up to 10-15 cm in length and weigh from 100 to 150 g. They inhabit the forests of South America and feed mainly on tree sap.