Monkeys are very interesting animals and they are some of the most popular subjects both in movies and pictures. Monkeys have many different types and they can vary based on many things like size, color, habitat, etc.
There are three different classes of monkeys: the New World primates, Old World primates, and cercopithecoids. Due to a large number of different types of monkeys, we are only going to cover the most common types since covering the entire species would take a very long article. Let’s jump straight to it.
Popular Different Types of Monkeys
Gorillas:
Gorillas are one of the most popular monkeys in the world. They are one of the largest primates and have a few very unique characteristics that make them unique from other primates.
They are very large, slow-moving and gentle creatures, making them very interesting to watch and to observe. Gorillas live in groups known as troops, which contain around 12-20 but up to 40 members.
Nowadays they can be found in various forests around Africa. Gorillas generally live in mountainous areas where they search for food like fruit and small insects. The gorilla is an endangered species, which means that they are in danger of becoming extinct and we are trying to do what it takes to preserve them.
Chimpanzees:
Chimpanzees are a type of ape that is closely related to humans. They have many unique characteristics and abilities, including using tools, using complex strategies, and hunting for food.
Chimpanzee’s habitat is found in various forests in Africa like the Congo or Uganda. Chimpanzees live in groups, which are made up of about 20-30 members.
An alpha male leads the group and all the other members must abide by his decisions. Chimpanzees have a complex social structure that is similar to humans’.
Chimps are really funny and intelligent creatures and they can communicate with each other using a variety of sounds that we can’t understand.
Baboons:
Baboons are very large primates that have various species with distinctive characteristics. They live in groups called troops, which can have up to 150 members.
The baboon is characterized by their long tails and distinctive long hair, which is usually colored yellow or brown and black. Baboons eat various types of plants and insects, but they also eat meat occasionally.
Baboons live in various types of savanna-like the Serengeti in Africa. They largely consume grass and make up the bulk of their diet. Baboons live in a society that is led by an alpha male and are generally very peaceful creatures.
They are also very intelligent and can use tools. Baboons eat various types of foraging plants and wild fruits, but they also eat meat when it is available to them.
Orangutans:
The orangutan is the largest of the great apes and has a distinctive appearance due to its hairiness. They live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia.
Orangutans are herbivores and consume a variety of different foods. They mainly eat fruit, but they also eat leaves, flowers, and seeds.
They generally feed in the trees where they live and they use tools to collect food like other primates. They also use sticks to dig up roots or to get at the fruit that is buried deep in the ground. Orangutans have a very complex social structure in which males dominate the females.
Gibbons:
Gibbons are small primates that are only found in the forests of Southeast Asia. They live in large groups called troops and they are very agile and acrobatic creatures.
They eat different types of leaves and grasses that they find in the jungle, but they also eat insects when their diet is insufficient.
Gibbons are content living on trees and use their long arms and legs to move quickly through them. They are very peaceful primates and they are not aggressive towards other animals.
Lemurs:
Lemurs are small primates that live on the island of Madagascar, which is located off the coast of Africa. They live in groups called troops and they have a very diverse diet , which includes leaves, fruit, insects or even small mammals or birds.
Lemurs live in trees like most primates and they generally use their claws to grasp onto branches while moving or standing still.
Lemurs have very interesting social structures as well. The dominant male of the troop leads the group and all other males must obey and defend the females. Females participate in a division of labor where they take care of the young.
Mandrill:
The mandrill is a large, human-sized primate that lives in the rainforests of West Africa. They eat the same foods as other primates and they use their hands to search for food.
They are very social creatures and they live in groups of up to 10 members. The males are dominant in all group interactions, including fighting with each other, looking for food, and defending against threats.
The females take care of the young and even feed them by mouth. At first, you would suspect that these monkeys are related to baboons because of their looks, but they are actually considered a separate species and more related to mangabeys and these are galliforms.
Spider monkey:
Spider monkeys are very slender primates that are highly adapted to living in the trees. They eat food from all the levels of the trees, including the leaves on the ground or in the canopy, depending on what kind of food they need at that time.
These creatures have long arms and legs that allow them to create a sort of web with their arms when they feel threatened and they hang on it until their predator goes away.
These types of monkeys are rare and endangered species. However, the spider monkey has been spreading across the edges of forests in South America for some time and is now found in most parts of its range.
How many monkey species are there in the world?
Currently, It is not known how many different species of monkeys are there but it is estimated to be more than 260 different species.
Conclusion
Our world has many amazing primates that live in their rare habitats. Every primate is unique and they all have different characteristics and abilities.
They are also under threat of extinction and many of them are seriously endangered, which means that they might become extinct at any time.
Educational institutes and conservation organizations must work together to protect these species before it’s too late. There are only a few options that we have if we try to save these animals from extinction.
Lydia King is a huge animal lover and has always been fascinated with learning about the animal kingdom. She enjoys writing about anything animal related from scientific information about rare species to animal references in pop culture.
