In any zoo, monkeys are the most popular. If you stand and watch these animals, you will soon see that the behavior of monkeys is very similar to ours.

Monkeys are large and small. The smallest monkey is the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), the length of its head and body is about 15 cm. The largest is the gorilla: it grows up to 1.85 m. The tail may be completely absent; however, some monkeys also have a tail that is longer than their body. For example, the body of the gulman (Presbytis entellus) is 50-70 cm long, and the tail is 65-100 cm. Its close relative, the golden-chocolate snub-nosed monkey, has a body length of 50-80, and the tail is up to 104 cm. The marmoset is not only the smallest, but and the lightest monkey; it weighs only 100 g. And the heaviest of the monkeys is the gorilla. An adult male gorilla can weigh up to 275 kg, that is, approximately 3,000 times more than his small relative.

The brain of monkeys is quite well developed. Many have a round head or an elongated muzzle. Eyes are directed forward; ears are most often similar to human ones. The facial muscles are well developed, so monkeys have facial expressions. A particularly important feature in monkeys is their arms and legs, which they use deftly. The tail often serves as another tool for grasping. Under the guidance of researchers, some monkeys even learn to perform complex actions - often requiring some understanding.

Monkeys live in pairs and in small or large groups. They can reproduce throughout the year. They usually give birth to only one baby, which they raise for a long time. The age limit for monkeys is from 10 to 40 years. Biologists divide monkeys into two large groups - monkeys from the New and Old Worlds. Monkeys from the New World live exclusively in Central and South America. These include about 50 species of medium size. They all live in trees and are active during the day. New World monkeys include Aotus, Cacajao, Pithecia, Saimiri, Lagothrix, Alouatta, Cebus, and Ateles. The largest of them is an arachnid, reaching a length of more than 60 cm and possessing an almost meter-long prehensile tail.

Monkey gycap

Old World monkeys are common in Africa and southern regions Asia. In the extreme south of Spain lives the only barbary monkey in Europe. There are about 80 Old World monkeys different types, among them are rhesus macaques (M. mulatto.), baboons, hussar monkeys, langurs (Presbytis) and proboscis monkeys (Nasalis). Old World monkeys include two other important groups: small apes- gibbons and great apes - orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Along with monkeys from the New and Old Worlds, biologists also include prosimians in this order. They represent a transitional stage between insectivorous mammals and monkeys themselves.

Living in Africa, Southeast Asia and Madagascar, lower primates, or prosimians, form 6 families: tupaiformes, lemurs, indrisids, chiropods, lorisids and tarsiers. Prosimians include animals with such exotic names as maki, catta, sifaki, indri, loris, potto or galago. The smallest of the prosimians is the mouse lemur, whose body length is 11 cm, weight 50 g. The largest is the indri, which, when it stands on its hind legs, reaches a height of 93 cm. Almost all prosimians are forest dwellers and feed on plants. They sleep during the day and go in search of food at night; They have very large eyes and a developed sense of smell.

Gorillas, especially older males, command respect from any observer. However, despite their size and strength, they are peaceful inhabitants of forests, feeding exclusively on plants. The animals are kept in families led by an old male with a silver stripe on his back. Gorillas' day begins with the fact that they immediately start eating after waking up and eat within 2-3 hours. Around noon they go back to sleep, sometimes waking up to eat again. Towards evening, the gorillas again go in search of food. With the onset of dusk, the leader first begins to build a nest for himself for the night. The rest follow his example. Unfortunately, the future looks bleak for these large apes. No one knows how many gorillas remain in the forests; estimates vary: some naturalists say several hundred, others several thousand.

The mandrill belongs to the monkey family, its close relatives are baboons. He lives in dense forests and wanders there in groups consisting of one adult male and several females with cubs. A group can consist of 20 animals.

The male mandrill has a bright red and blue pattern on its face. Such a motley muzzle is clearly visible among dense trees. And it is important that all members of the group stick together.

Monkeys are small representatives of the Old World monkeys. They have a very long tail, a moderately elongated and rounded muzzle, and small and round ears. The coat is thick and long. Whiskers or a beard often form around the muzzle. There are 15 species of monkeys, and they all live in Africa. The most common species is the green monkey.

"Orangutan" means "man of the forest" in Malay. Orangutans were first described by Western researchers at the beginning of the 18th century. They came to Europe already in 1776. However, about the life of orangutans in nature for a long time almost nothing was known. Everything changed just recently. Since the 1970s, extensive research programs have been carried out. The large ape roams the dense tropical forests of Asia and lives, in contrast to the gorilla and chimpanzee, alone.

A frolicking baby orangutan

With age, male oratugpans grow large growths on their cheeks in the form of rolls of fat. Orangutans rarely come down from the trees. By using long arms he deftly jumps from branch to branch. With the onset of evening twilight, it builds itself a large nest of leaves, and often with a roof from the rain, on the fork of branches. This sleeping nest is used only for one night. The next morning the orangutan gets up and slowly moves on. Finding a tree with fruit, he climbs it and has lunch. Sometimes he settles down and takes a nap.

The existence of orangutans is currently under threat. Forests in Indonesia are being cut down, and the "forest man" is rapidly losing his habitat. If serious measures are not taken, orangutans will soon remain only in zoos. Nature reserves located in humid tropical forests, help protect many other species of animals and plants that are at risk of extinction.

Baboons are monkeys with a long snout, which justifies their name "dog-headed". They stay mostly on the ground and only when there is danger they climb onto trees or rocks. Powerful fangs allow adult males to defend themselves from enemies. Even leopards are afraid of them.

While sleeping, baboons retire to the trees, and at dawn they come down again to search for food. They walk around their territory, covering 5-20 km per day. In the evening they again go to rest in the trees. If there are no trees, then they sleep on the eaves of steep cliffs.

Baboons live in large herds of 40-80 individuals, but sometimes you can find a herd consisting of 200 individuals. The basis of the herd consists of females with cubs, and an adult male looks after it. He tolerates growing males in his herd, but keeps them submissive.

The largest of the baboons is the chacma, or bear baboon (Pargo ursinus). In this species, the body length of males reaches 1.15 m, and the weight is 30 kg. Chakma lives in South Africa.

Its close relative is the hamadryas baboon (P. hamadryas), which lives in Ethiopia, northern Somalia, northeastern Sudan and southwestern Arabia. In ancient times, hamadryas were also found in the Nile Valley. The ancient Egyptians highly revered it and dedicated it to the sun god Ra, and animal corpses were often mummified. Mature male hamadryas are adorned with sideburns and a silvery mane (mantle) with hair up to 25 cm long. That is why they are sometimes called “cloak baboons”.

Chimpanzees belong to the family of great apes, their closest relatives are the gorilla and the orangutan. Like both of these species, chimpanzees also live in the forest. In small groups they roam around their territory. In the morning, the monkeys feed for two hours, then rest for half a day, and in the evening they go in search of food again. Chimpanzees spend the night in nests, which they build new ones each time.

Barbary monkey, or magot (Masasa sylvanus)

Magnitude	60-70 cm body length. Shoulder height 45-50 cm. Weight: females up to 12 kg; males up to 15 kg
Signs	A bare, wrinkled face, reddish, thick sideburns on the cheeks, short ears. There is no tail. The fur is thick, long, light brown
Nutrition	Fruits, leaves, grass and roots; in addition, insects, worms, scorpions and small vertebrates
Reproduction	Pregnancy 146-180 days; 1 cub, rarely 2; newborn weight about 450 g
Habitats	Shrubs on rocks and hills at an altitude of 600-2000 m; Algeria, Morocco; in Europe it is found only in Gibraltar in southern Spain (presumably they were brought there)

Man is very interested in the life of monkeys. Still would! Not only are there rumors in the scientific world about its involvement in the human race, but primates also resemble humans in their habits. Sometimes it seems that these animals are almost as intelligent as we are. Where do monkeys live?

In what country do monkeys live?

There are more than four hundred species of primates in the world. The most famous are anthropoids. In nature, there are monkeys with a body length from nine centimeters to one hundred and eighty. Mostly primates lead an arboreal lifestyle. They live in small groups. Supports daytime activity. These are omnivores. The tendency towards herbivory or carnivory depends on the habitat, the type of monkey and the time of year.

Since there are a lot of species of primates and, sometimes, they are quite distant from each other, we will look at the habitats of families of primates. Let us just recall from zoology: genera are distinguished within families, and species within genus.

Tentails, or capuchins

The most numerous variety, in which eleven genera are distinguished (howler monkeys, jumpers, sakis, woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys and others).

Monkeys are small to medium sized great apes. All members of the capuchin family have a long tail covered with hair. In some species, this part of the body is capable of touch. The facial part of the head is shortened, the nostrils are well separated from each other, the eyes are large with developed eyelids. Hairline in capuchins it is single-colored and quite dense.

Grain-tailed monkeys are good at jumping and running through trees. They feed mainly on vegetation. But they also eat insects, bird eggs and other small animals. The forelimbs are used to obtain food. Their faces are capable of expressing emotions.

The distribution range of capuchins is South America east of the Andes (from 27 degrees south latitude), Argentina north through Central America to 23 degrees north latitude in Mexico.

Monkeys

The family has eight genera (macaques, proboscis monkeys, baboons, mangabeys and others). They have small and medium sizes. Some species have a tail, some do not. The physique of monkeys is also different: from graceful and light to quite heavy.

The forelimbs are slightly longer than the hind limbs. The hairline is usually long and silky. The entire body is covered with fur, excluding the ischium, face, soles and hind limbs.

Monkeys live in various places: Jungles, open plains, mangrove swamps, rocky areas. Almost all members of the family lead an arboreal lifestyle, macaques are terrestrial and arboreal, baboons are terrestrial. Monkeys are diurnal animals. At night they roost on rocks, trees or in caves.

The distribution area covers Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa (where lions live). On the European continent they are found only in Gibraltar.

Hands

A family represented by only one species. Monkeys are small in size, have an elongated, slender body, a rounded head with a shortened facial region. The coat is coarse, dark brown or black.

Little hands live in forests, bamboo thickets and mangroves. They lead a mainly arboreal lifestyle. They remain active at night and sleep in hollows or treetops during the day. The main diet is insects and their larvae.

Habitat: Madagascar. The species is very rare and is therefore listed in the Red Book.

Tarsiers

The family is represented by one genus and two species. This is a transitional species between lemurs and lower apes. Distinctive features:

• small size (from 28 to 40 cm, tail - from 6 to 27 cm);
• maximum weight – 150 g;
• large, very mobile head (can rotate almost 180 degrees);
• short muzzle;
• huge, bulging eyes that do not fit into the cranial orbit;
• highly developed heel section;
• velvety wool of a grayish or red-brown hue;
• a long, rod-shaped tail with a tassel at the end;
• feed on animals (insects, small vertebrates, lizards, birds and their eggs).

Habitat: Southeast Asia. Moreover, each species occupies certain islands of the Philippine, Malay and Sunda archipelagos. Tarsiers choose inaccessible jungles.

Dwarf lemurs

The maximum size of these monkeys is 460 g. Species living in the eastern tropical forests have a reddish-brown tint, while in the western dry forests they have a gray back. Dwarf lemurs live in all types of forests on the island of Madagascar.

These are nocturnal animals that prefer an arboreal lifestyle. Dwarf lemurs build spherical nests from leaves or take advantage of natural voids in trees. The main diet is fruits and vegetables.

Gibbons

Characteristic features of the family:

• body length – from 45 to 90 cm;
• weight – 8-13 kg;
• graceful body with greatly elongated forelimbs;
• there is a small ischial callus;
• thick hair;
• color varies from black or brown to cream or whitish.

Gibbons live in dense tropical forests. They prefer an arboreal lifestyle. The main food is leaves and fruits.

The distribution area occupies Assam, Burma, the Indochina Peninsula, Hainan, Thailand, Tenasserim, the Malacca Peninsula, the islands of Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Mentawai.

Apes

There are small, medium and large sizes. They don't have a tail. The minimum weight is five kilograms, the maximum is three hundred. Massive build, long forelimbs and short hind limbs. Rounded head with prominent facial region. Well developed brain.

Apes - inhabitants tropical forests. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, most of which is spent in trees. Distribution area: Southeast Asia and adjacent islands, Equatorial Africa.

Galago

These nocturnal animals are active jumpers. They feed on fruits, fruits and invertebrates. Galagos live only in Africa, but in various territories: from dry places with thorny bushes to tropical forests.

Marmosets

The smallest of the great apes. Very active tree monkeys. They remain active during the day and sleep in tree hollows at night.

The main diet is insects, birds, juicy fruits and seeds. Distributed mainly in South America. Found in Colombia, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador.

How long do monkeys live?

Life expectancy varies among different families of primates. Thus, tenacious-tailed animals lived in captivity up to twenty-five years (about as long as tigers live). The lifespan of monkeys in captivity is thirty to forty years. Little hands managed to live only up to nine years.

Tarsiers survive in captivity with difficulty and do not reproduce. Live in wildlife lasts up to twelve years. Currently, most species of this family are extinct. The main threat is habitat destruction. Dwarf lemurs are also threatened with extinction. Today these animals are listed in the Red Book.

The maximum lifespan of gibbons in captivity is twenty-three years. But anthropoids are long-lived. Life expectancy in captivity is forty-six years. Unfortunately, the number of anthropoids in natural environment habitat is rapidly declining. The result of human persecution is ten thousand gorillas and two and a half thousand orangutans.

Monkeys are heat-loving animals, and they live mainly in countries with hot climates - in Africa, Asia and South America. In some countries there are so many monkeys that they have become a real scourge. In India, where monkeys are considered sacred animals, there are more than 40 million of them. These are mainly rhesus macaques. They constantly plunder crops in the fields, orchards and vegetable gardens, and rob warehouses. The monkeys have become so bold that they climb into houses, spoil things and food, and sometimes steal small animals and even children. It is estimated that in a year these robbers eat so much food that they could feed 10 percent of the population of India - approximately 50 million people - for a year!

In some African countries, dog-headed monkeys baboons cause a lot of trouble to farmers when they raid plantations. They scare away the monkeys and shoot, but all in vain. Moreover, baboons are good at distinguishing a person who is dangerous to them from a non-dangerous one and notifying each other about this. They allow unarmed people and even a person with a stick to get very close to them. But as soon as a man with a carbine appears in the distance, the monkeys take off running.

It’s not for nothing that monkeys are called four-armed mammals. Most representatives of this species live in the crowns of trees, deftly moving from branch to branch. In thick equatorial forests There are primates that never come down to earth. For example, royal guerres, which live in Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia, spend their entire lives in the crowns of trees. They are excellent jumpers and cover long distances by jumping from branch to branch.

Large and medium-sized monkeys often descend from trees to the ground. Some, such as baboons, live exclusively on the ground, completely ignoring trees. They gather in large groups and, moving together, are able to withstand even such large predators as leopards and lions.

Most monkeys live in warm climates and do not tolerate cold well. However, some species have adapted to living conditions in the cold. Thus, Japanese macaques live on the northern island of Honshu, where the average winter temperature is –5°C, and snow cover can remain for up to four months a year. The bodies of these animals are covered with thick and long hair, which reliably protects them from cold winds. In addition, snow macaques have learned to take advantage of the geological features of the Japanese islands - they spend most of their time basking in the water of hot springs. Also, some species of monkeys living in the mountains of China and South America successfully tolerate sub-zero temperatures.

Monkey habitat

Primates are mainly found in the tropics and subtropics of Africa, South America and South-East Asia. Africa is almost entirely inhabited by various species of monkeys, with the exception of the Sahara Desert. Among the many primates found on the continent, the great apes, chimpanzees and gorillas, are of particular interest. On the island of Madagascar, contrary to popular belief, there are no primates. But their more primitive “relatives” – lemurs – live here.

In Asia, the habitat of monkeys includes the entire Indo-Malayan region, most of China, the south of the Korean Peninsula, numerous Indian islands and partly the Japanese islands. Orangutans, large apes, are found in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

In South America, the greatest diversity of primate species is found in the Amazon basin. Here you can meet the smallest monkeys from the marmoset family. The forests of Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela are also home to howler monkeys, saimiri and different kinds capuchins.

No animal attracts as much interest from people as monkeys. And all because they are our closest relatives, both physiologically and intellectually. Monkeys form a separate infraorder of Apes in the order of Primates. Among primitive animals, their close relatives are tarsiers, lemurs, tupai, lorises, and bats, and their distant relatives are insectivorous mammals. This relationship debunks one of the most persistent myths about monkeys as the most perfect creatures on the planet. In reality, they only have developed intelligence, which is due to the specifics of their environment, but the physiology of monkeys is at a rather primitive level.

The crested macaque, or crested baboon (Macaca nigra) is the first species of monkey to go down in human history as the author of selfies.

The body sizes of these animals vary over a very wide range: the smallest monkey - the pygmy marmoset - weighs only 100-150 g, and the largest are gorillas, whose weight can reach 140-200 kg. Male orangutans are almost not far behind them, whose weight in rare cases can reach up to 180 kg (their females are much smaller).

Pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea).

It is clear that such a difference in size could not but affect appearance. If you look in monkeys common features, then they are united by a rounded skull containing a large brain; small size motionless ears; brow ridges outlining the eye sockets; large eyes adapted to see in daylight; short mobile neck; muscular long limbs. It is characteristic that all monkeys have a clavicle - a bone that allows their forelimbs to move in different directions, in contrast to the paws of terrestrial quadrupeds, which can move mainly in the “back and forth” direction.

In the primitive broad-nosed monkeys of the New World, the facial part of the skull is relatively poorly developed, so their faces are flat. In the more advanced narrow-nosed monkeys of the Old World, the jaws protrude noticeably forward, for example, in baboons, which do not disdain hunting, this gives an almost canine appearance.

The male hamadryas (Papio hamadryas) yawns to show off his teeth to rivals. Such a grin is often used by baboons to bloodlessly strengthen discipline.

Broad-nosed and narrow-nosed monkeys are called not so much by the size of the nose, but by the direction of the nostrils: in the broad-nosed ones they are spaced apart, and in the narrow-nosed ones they are directed forward. Male proboscis monkeys have a cucumber-like nose - it acts as a resonator, while females of this species have short and upturned noses.

Male proboscis whale, or kahau (Nasalis larvatus).

Rhinopithecus have very short noses with nostrils directed almost upward.

Male black rhinopithecus (Rhinopithecus bieti).

Compared to other animals, monkeys have well-developed facial muscles, since their grimaces perform a communicative function. The vision of these primates is binocular and color, which allows them to quickly determine the distance to objects and accurately identify them. Such vision is vital for the inhabitants of high crowns, who feed on a variety of fruits, leaves, and sometimes small animals.

The monkeys' front paws are five-fingered, with the first (thumb) finger extended, which allows them to grasp tree branches and manipulate objects. To obtain food, monkeys use tools, such as stones, twigs, rolled leaves, with which they break nuts, pull out ants, scoop up water, etc.

The brown capuchin or fawn (Cebus apella) uses a heavy stone to crush the shell of a hard nut.

However, in some tree monkeys the first finger can be reduced, in which case the paw is used as a hook, that is, the animal hangs on a branch, holding on to it with all four fingers. The hind legs of monkeys also have an extended toe: on the one hand, this allows them to hold on to branches more effectively, and on the other hand, it does not in the least interfere with walking and running on the ground. By the way, monkeys move by resting on the entire surface of their palms and soles, and only great apes (orangutans, gorillas, gibbons, chimpanzees) bend their fingers on their palms when walking, resting on their backs.

Monkeys' fingers end in nails; in small tree monkeys they sometimes have a arched shape, which makes them look like claws from the outside.

The tail is perhaps the most variable organ of monkeys. U great apes and magots it is completely absent; in pig-tailed macaques it is short and does not play any role in movement; in other species it is long, but functions differently. For example, Old World monkeys use it as a balancer when jumping (and hussar monkeys also lean on it when standing), but among the broad-nosed monkeys there are many species with an extremely prehensile tail. Its lower surface is bare and has papillary lines similar to fingerprints, and the tail itself is very flexible and strong. All this allows its owner to wrap his tail around the branches, literally feeling their surface, and also hang on it. It is not for nothing that woolly, tawny and spider monkeys are sometimes called five-armed, implying that the tail replaces an additional limb for them. True, the smallest monkeys (marmosets, marmosets, tamarins) have a long tail that is not at all muscular; these species use it like squirrels, as a rudder when jumping.

A tawny monkey (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) with a baby moves along an air bridge between the trees.

Monkeys are characterized by thick hair without undercoat, but at the same time their palms, feet and partly their face are always bare. In some species, other parts of the body are naked: in geladas - the skin on the chest, in all baboons - ischial calluses, in uakari - the skull.

A baboon or yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus) showing black calluses. In other species of baboons, these parts of the body are usually red.

The skin color of different species can be flesh-colored, bright red, blue, black, or even multi-colored, like the mandrill.

The unusual texture of the skin of the Nemean tonkotel (Pygathrix nemaeus) gives it a doll-like appearance.

The fur of monkeys is often colored black, brown, grey colour, few species are characterized by variegated colors.

Nemean tonzoboli are also among the most brightly colored monkeys.

Many species have decorations in the form of elongated hair growing on the head, face, neck, shoulders and forming, respectively, lush hair, a beard and mustache, a “hood”, and a mane. Such decorations can be characteristic only of males (for example, the mane of baboons) or of both sexes (for example, the mustache of the imperial saguina).

Imperial saguins (Saguinus imperator).

In general, monkeys are characterized by sexual dimorphism, which boils down to brighter colors and larger sizes of males. However, it is expressed differently in different species. As a rule, the most strong differences between males and females can be observed in polygamous species with strict dominance of the leader (baboons, proboscis monkey), less clear - in herd monkeys with less aggressive males (gorillas, macaques), and very insignificant - in monkeys living in pairs, where the male and female are in take equal care of their offspring (marmosets, marmosets, tamarins).

Family of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana).

All monkeys are heat-loving animals that live in equatorial, tropical and subtropical zones Asia, Africa, South and Central America. In Europe, monkeys are known only in the extreme southwest of the continent - on the Cape of Gibraltar. The Magots live here, but they also came to Europe with the help of people from their historical homeland - North Africa. The other northernmost habitat of these primates is located on the Japanese Islands. Here Japanese macaques managed to populate even islands from temperate climate, where there is a lot of snow in winter. True, it is not their skin that helps them overcome the cold, but their intellect - these monkeys have learned to warm up in hot springs, where they spend almost the entire winter day.

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), while warming up in the water, simultaneously go about their daily activities: eating, picking each other's fur. This group indulges in an afternoon nap.

The favorite habitats of monkeys are dense forests with many fruit trees. A few species have mastered dry woodlands (monkeys), savannas (baboons), and rocky slopes (magots, geladas).

A flock of langurs hides from the torrential torrents flowing down a rocky slope in the Thar Desert. Most monkeys do not like water and even swim only when absolutely necessary.

All monkeys are herbivorous to one degree or another. Some of them adhere to an exclusively vegetarian diet, eating tree fruits, leaves, young shoots, seeds; these species include orangutans, gorillas, and howler monkeys. Others replenish protein reserves in the body by periodically eating eggs and chicks, small lizards, and crabs. These species include macaques, marmosets, and marmosets. Finally, meat plays a significant role in the diet of baboons; sometimes these monkeys even catch such large animals as baby gazelles and small antelopes.

A baboon with a baby gazelle it killed.

The nature of the diet also affects the lifestyle. Herbivorous marmosets, marmosets and gibbons live in pairs or small families, including close relatives (older children, grandparents). These monkeys are very peaceful, do not like fights, and mark their territory either with urine (marmosets) or with special songs (gibbons).

The common-toed gibbon, or siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), performs its morning song. The pouch under the throat serves as a resonator for it, amplifying the sound.

Herbivorous orangutans living alone and gorillas with small harems are very calm. But these species can stand up for themselves on occasion. In gregarious species the level of aggression is higher. For example, howler monkeys defend their territory and mates with deafening screams, and the calls of these monkeys are the loudest sounds made by animals!

Black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) guard the boundaries of their territory.

Omnivorous monkeys and macaques are moderately pugnacious, and baboons are even more aggressive. Troops of these monkeys have a male leader to whom all the others obey. Young males can get along with him only under the condition of complete submission, otherwise they will have to learn the power of his bites the hard way. Females play the role of powerless concubines, the fate of each of them depends on the taste of the leader: the favorites receive maximum care and food, the rest are forced to be content with the leftovers from the table of the stronger and luckier ones. In chimpanzees, intra-pack aggression is relieved either by sexual contact or by organized war against another pack. In the latter case, the winners can taste the meat of the vanquished. By the way, chimpanzees are the only monkeys that hunt other monkeys. And we are talking not only about clan disagreements, but also about monkeys that regularly get in the teeth of their larger “brethren.”

Two male baboons got into a fight. The teenagers felt who would win, and immediately supported the strong one. Although their participation in combat is symbolic, such training will allow them to gain the necessary experience and confidence to aspire to leadership in the future.

Regardless of the level of relations within the troop, communication between monkeys is accompanied by complex shapes behavior. These animals are not alien to such feelings as friendship, love, envy, resentment, rancor, cunning, anger, sorrow and empathy.

This female chacma, or bear baboon (Papio ursinus), died of a cub, but even after its death she continues to carry the baby’s body on her back until the corpse is completely decomposed.

In case of danger, their calls not only indicate an approaching threat, but accurately identify it: there are separate calls indicating a leopard, poisonous snakes, a python, a monkey-eating eagle, an armed and an unarmed person. Thus, monkeys speak primitive speech, which at least contains nouns. Captive human speech monkeys cannot reproduce due to the difference in the structure of the vocal cords, but they are quite capable of mastering the language of signs or signals.

Gorilla Koko, who speaks sign language, explained to her keepers that she wanted to have a baby. But since the scientists did not allow her to mate, their ward was allowed to adopt the kitten. Coco was very attached to her adopted baby and cried when she had to be separated from him.

Monkeys do not have a specific breeding season. Mating occurs all year round. The female usually gives birth to one baby, rarely - two (twins are more common in tamarins). The newborn is born sighted, covered with short hair, but helpless. At first he hangs on his mother’s stomach, and later moves onto her back. Childbirth occurs in a flock and attracts increased attention to the young mother, her social status increases for some time. Male marmosets and tamarins deliver births to females and even eat the placenta; subsequently, they take an active part in raising the offspring: they carry the baby on themselves, and give it to the mother only for feeding time. Males of other monkeys take care of the young, allowing babies and teenagers more than is allowed to ordinary members of the troop, but special attention They do not show this to their own children. The childhood of monkeys is relatively long, which is due to complex forms of behavior - in order to gain the necessary experience, the kids will have to long time watch adults and play with each other.

Baby gorillas and chimpanzees study together the world. Although such a meeting is impossible in nature, in captivity the kids quickly found a common language.

In large monkeys natural enemies no, only chimpanzees, as stated above, can die from the paws and stones of a neighboring flock. The situation is different for medium and small monkeys. Their enemies are first of all wild cats(leopard, jaguar, less often - lion or tiger), all kinds of snakes, especially pythons and boa constrictors. At a watering hole, they can fall into the mouth of a crocodile. In South America and on the islands of the Philippine archipelago, monkey-eating eagles hunt monkeys. Their name eloquently makes it clear that they have achieved perfection in the business of catching primates. However, danger from the air can lurk for monkeys in other parts of the world, where they can be attacked by kites, hawks and crowned eagles.

A crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus) caught a monkey.

Monkeys are susceptible to human infections such as tonsillitis, flu, tuberculosis, herpes, hepatitis, rabies, measles, so in areas of mass tourism they are protected from contact with outsiders.

This baby gorilla was rescued from the hands of animal traffickers in the Congo. While the orphan gets used to his new home, workers at the rehabilitation center wear masks so as not to infect the baby with human infections.

But the human impact on these animals is not limited to just passive transmission of infections. For a long time, people have hunted monkeys: the natives ate their meat, more developed peoples simply destroyed them as pests Agriculture, raiding fields and plantations, white colonialists killed gverets for their beautiful fur, gorillas' paws were used to make souvenirs. Finally, with the advent of fashion for “love of animals,” many species of monkeys became desirable pets. Thousands of poachers around the world began to satisfy this demand, catching monkeys in the wild for resale. As a result, many species of monkeys are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the International Red Book.

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