Where does the monkey live in nature. Types of monkeys. Where do pygmy lemurs live

Monkeys are cute and charming creatures that you can admire forever. They belong to higher primates. Surely you have heard this word more than once, but do you know its meaning? The word "primate" can be translated as "first", although monkeys are superior to other animals only with better intelligence. And as for dexterity, scent, sight and hearing, in many other species they are at a higher level.

Basic information about monkeys

There are many different types these animals, but they are very similar to each other. They all have a pair of arms and legs (like a human), a tail or something similar to it. The thumbs of monkeys are located at a decent distance from the rest, so that they can easily climb trees. Almost all these animals are omnivorous, but they eat a lot of things that a person (also a primate, by the way) would not like. These are insects, and fruits, and bird eggs, and grains, and leaves, and grass. There is also evidence that they even eat crustaceans.

and habitats

How long do monkeys live? It depends on the species. Some live only to 20 years, while others - up to 60. In this they are very different, but what else unites them? The first thing that comes to mind is that without exception, all monkeys are able to deftly move from one branch to another. Just imagine: some species do not get off the tree all their lives. For example, the royal Gverets living in Africa can only eat flowers and leaves. And what a healthy diet.

But there are also monkeys who prefer to live only on the ground, and trees are completely ignored. An example is baboons. Where do monkeys of this species live? They gather in groups of 250-300 individuals and constantly "travel", not staying long in one place. Older males go first, and younger ones conclude the column. Their task is to protect the herd from enemies. There are also individuals who tend to keep aloof, they walk at some distance from the column. Baboons are very united and courageous animals. For example, if a leopard is preparing to attack a monkey that has lagged behind the column, 150 individuals can run to its cry. Of course, the leopard becomes uncomfortable with such an army. But other species do not differ in courage and, in case of any danger, scatter in different directions and jump onto trees.

Where do monkeys live?

They mainly live in Asian, African and South American subtropical and tropical regions. As for South America, there the territory of the primates is stretched from the northern part of Argentina to the southern part of Mexico. It is also impossible not to mention Africa, where monkeys live. This country (especially just south of the Sahara) is simply teeming with them. Contrary to popular belief, monkeys do not live in Madagascar, only lemurs live there. Let's talk about Asia. There, most of the monkeys can be found in the southeast, as well as the southern part. The range extends as far as Timor and Japan. One species of monkeys (magot) also lives in Europe, and more specifically, in Gibraltar. It is believed that he was brought here by people.

As you already understand, most monkeys live among trees, mainly in forests (any: mountainous, wet, etc.). Some species live both on branches and on the ground, such as gelada.

Where do snow monkeys live?

There is an opinion that all these animals adore a warm climate and cannot live in the cold. If we talk about the vast majority of monkeys, then this is true. But do not forget about the exceptions.

On the large island of Honshu, which is located in Japan, snow monkeys live. We can say that they are very hardened - they are not afraid of the cold.

Snow monkeys live in Igodukani (this is the name of the famous reserve). If this name is translated into Russian, it will mean "Hell's Valley". This area is notable for natural diversity: here and ice, and hot water, and geysers. The monkeys living here have a very impressive thick coat of hair, which makes them seem quite thick and powerful, although they are not.

These animals do not suffer much from the cold, but it is, of course, unpleasant for them to freeze, and therefore they plunge into hot spring and sit there for a long time. Where monkeys of this species live, there are areas where steam rises from the ground, in some way such a place resembles a bathhouse. The primates love to sit there and bask. Only in the late afternoon, when it gets a little warmer, do the animals get out of the water and move away from the steam to dry off. Also at this time they eat.

Snow monkeys like to dig into the fur of their relatives, so that it dries faster. But other species often do the same. From the outside it seems that they choose fleas, although this is not true. Monkeys are clean, they do not have these insects in their wool. In fact, this action is a demonstration of gratitude and love for their relatives.

What do these animals eat?

What do snow monkeys eat? After all, fruit does not grow in the snow. Well, the monkeys are used to doing without them. They trample paths in the snow and walk along them in a row, pulling out roots, berries, leaves, and insects from snowdrifts. They also eat needles, tree buds and bark.

Now you know where monkeys live, what they eat and how they behave.

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

Monkeys are large and small. The smallest monkey pygmy marmoset(Cebuella pygmaea), the length of her 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 a 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 3000 times more than his little relative.

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

Monkeys live in pairs, as well as small or large groups. They can breed throughout the year. They usually have only one cub, which they raise for a long time. The maximum age of 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 durukuli (Aotus), uakari (Cacajao), saki (Pithecia), saimiri (Saimiri), woolly (Lagothrix), howler monkeys (Alouatta), capuchins (Cebus) and arachnids (Ateles). The largest of them is arachnid, reaching a length of more than 60 cm and having an almost meter-long grasping tail.

Monkeys from the Old World are common in Africa and in the southern regions of Asia. In the extreme south of Spain lives the only barbary monkey in Europe. About 80 different species belong to the Old World monkeys, including rhesus macaques (M. mulatto.), Baboons, hussar monkeys, langurs (Presbytis) and proboscis (Nasalis). Two more important groups belong to monkeys from the Old World: small great apes - gibbons and great great apes - orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Along with monkeys from the New and Old Worlds, biologists also include semi-monkeys in this order. They represent a transitional stage between insectivorous mammals and apes proper.

Inhabiting Africa, Southeast Asia and Madagascar lower primates, or semi-monkeys, form 6 families: blunt-like, lemurs, indrisids, bats, lorizids and tarsiers. The semi-monkeys include animals with such exotic names as maki, catta, sifaki, indri, loris, potto or galago. The smallest of the half-monkeys - 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 semi-monkeys - forest dwellers, feed on plants. During the day they sleep, and at night they go in search of food; They have very large eyes and a highly developed sense of smell.

Gorillas, especially old males, inspire respect in any observer. However, despite their size and strength, they are peaceful inhabitants of the forests, feeding exclusively on plants. Animals are kept by families under the leadership of an old male with a silver stripe on his back. The day for gorillas begins with the fact that they immediately start eating after waking up and eat for 2-3 hours. Towards noon they settle down to sleep again, sometimes waking up to eat again. Toward evening, the gorillas again go in search of food. With the onset of twilight, the leader begins to build his nest for the night. Others follow his example. Unfortunately, the future of these large apes looks sad. How many gorillas are left in the forests, no one knows, estimates differ: some naturalists say that several hundred, others - several thousand.

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

On the muzzle of the male mandrill, a bright red and blue pattern is noticeable. Such a motley muzzle is clearly visible among the dense trees. And it is important that all members of the group stick together.

Monkeys are medium-sized representatives of the Old World monkeys. They have very a long tail, moderately elongated and rounded muzzle, small and round ears. The coat is thick and long. Often sideburns or a beard are formed 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 "forest man" in Malay. Orangutans were first described by Western researchers at the beginning of the 18th century. They arrived in Europe in 1776. However, about the life of orangutans in nature long time almost nothing was known. Everything has changed quite recently. Since the 1970s, extensive research programs have been carried out. The great ape roams the dense tropical forests of Asia and, unlike the gorilla and chimpanzee, lives alone.

With age, large growths in the form of rolls of fat grow on the cheeks of oratugpan males. The orangutan rarely descends from the trees. With the help of long arms, he deftly jumps from branch to branch. With the onset of evening twilight, he builds himself a large nest of leaves, and often with a roof from the rain, on a fork in the boughs. This sleeping nest is only used for one night. The next morning, the orangutan gets up and slowly moves on. Finding a tree with fruits, he climbs it and has lunch. Sometimes he settles down and takes a nap.

The existence of orangutans is under threat today. Forests in Indonesia are being cut down and the "forest man" is rapidly losing its habitat. If serious measures are not taken, then soon orangutans will remain only in zoos. Reserves settling in wet tropical forests, help protect many other species of animals and plants that are threatened with extinction.

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

For the time of sleep, baboons retire to the trees, and at dawn they descend again to search for food. They bypass their territory, doing 5-20 km per day. By evening, they again go to rest in the trees. If there are no trees, then they sleep on the eaves of sheer 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 is females with cubs, an adult male looks after him. He tolerates growing males in his herd, but keeps them in obedience.

The largest of the baboons is the chakma, 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 baboon hamadryas (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 him and dedicated him to the sun god Ra, and animal corpses were often mummified. Sexually mature males of hamadryas are decorated with whiskers and a silvery mantle (mantle) with a hair length of up to 25 cm. That is why they are sometimes called "cloaked baboons".

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

Barbary monkey, or magot (Masas sylvanus)

Primates have always interested people more than other animals. This is largely due to Darwin's theory and the anthropological data of some species. Next, consider where the monkeys live, their varieties and features of the life cycle.

general information

In nature, there are several hundred species of primates, the most famous of which are anthropoids. The length of the torso of a monkey can vary from a few centimeters to two meters. As a rule, these animals lead tree image life, kept in groups. Omnivorous animals are active during the day. Preferences in vegetable or animal food depend on the habitat. Where do monkeys live? Consider the environment of their residence by families.

Igrunkovye and galagovye

The Igrunkovye family belongs to the most small mind primates. They are very active and mobile, live on trees, perform all important tasks during the day, and sleep in hollows of trees at night. The main food is fruits, seeds, birds and insects. Habitat regions - Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia.

The nocturnal animals of the galago are very active jumpers. The main diet is fruits, other fruits, invertebrates. Habitat - Africa. It can be both dry regions with thorny bushes, and places with a tropical climate.

Anthropoid family

Next, consider where do monkeys live and what do they eat, most similar to humans? These animals can be short, medium or tall. The mass of animals is, depending on the genus and species, from five to three hundred kilograms. Distinctive features- Massive body build, long fore and short hind limbs. The head is rounded with a prominent front part. They also have a well-developed brain.

Mainly great primates live in tropical forests, are diurnal, spend a lot of time on trees. Habitat regions - Equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia and adjacent island areas. Food - fruits of trees, parts of shrubs, insects, birds, small animals.

Gibbon

This family has the following features:

• torso in length - from 450 to 900 millimeters;
• body weight - from 8 to 13 kilograms;
• original structure with especially elongated forelimbs;
• primates have ischial callus;
• animals have thick hair;
• the color of the animals varies from cream to black or brown.

Gibbon families live mainly in tropical forests on trees, feed on leaves and fruits. Habitat - Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java, Indochina, Thailand, Burma.

Where do pygmy lemurs live?

The largest individuals of these animals reach 460 grams. They live in the eastern rainforests and western drylands. Depending on the region, the animals are red-brown or gray shade. Many of these primates live on the island of Madagascar. Unlike most other monkeys, lemurs are night image life, mostly in trees. They build nests in the form of balls of foliage, use natural hollows as a dwelling. The animals usually feed on fruits and roots.

tarsiers

The following describes where (in which country) monkeys of the tarsier family live, which are a transitional link between lemurs and lower species. Features of these animals:

• small size - from 280 to 400 millimeters with a tail 6-25 cm long;
• weight - 150 g (maximum);
• the animals have a relatively large and very mobile head, which can be rotated 180 °.
• short muzzle;
• eyes - large bulging;
• well developed heel;
• the coat is velvety, reddish or gray in color;
• a long elastic tail has a tassel at the end;
• diet - vertebrates, insects, lizards, birds and eggs.

Habitat - Southeast Asia. Wherein certain kind occupies a specific territory (the islands of the Philippine, Sunda and Malay archipelago).

Arms

This family is represented by one species and is listed in the Red Book. Individuals are small in size, slender and somewhat elongated body, rounded head, shortened front part. The coat of monkeys is coarse, brown or black.

Where do monkeys of this family live? Their main habitats are bamboo and mangrove thickets, as well as the jungle. Primates are active at night, lead an arboreal lifestyle, sleep in hollows of trees or in their crowns. The main food is insects and larvae. Small species found only in Madagascar.

Monkeys

Features of this family:

• the category includes eight genera of primates;
• some of them are tailless;
• the physique is different - from an elegant light body to a massive and overweight torso;
• hind limbs shorter than front legs;
• the hairline is long and silky;
• wool covers the entire body, including the ischium, soles and hind legs.

Where do monkeys live? In the jungle, on open plains, rocky places. Mangroves are the main habitats of marmosets. Some of them lead an arboreal lifestyle, others move along the ground. During the day, the animals are active, at night they settle down for the night in caves or hollows of trees. Population regions - Southeast Asia, Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Gibraltar.

capuchins

This is the most numerous species of primates (11 genera). Animals are medium and small in size, have a long hairy tail. Some individuals can use it as an organ of touch. The hairline of chain-tailed primates (capuchins) is thick and monochromatic. The front part of the head is shortened, the nostrils are clearly separated, big eyes have pronounced centuries.

These representatives of primates perfectly move through the trees, eat plant foods, but do not disdain insects, bird eggs and other small animals. Capuchin prey is held with the help of the front paws, the muzzle is able to express some emotions. Habitat - South and Central America, Argentina, Mexico.

Where does the spider monkey live?

This category of primates lives on the branches of trees, moves along them with the help of tenacious limbs. Animals live in families of up to twenty individuals, which are also divided into groups of 4-5 representatives. They lead a diurnal lifestyle, eat plant and animal food.

Depending on the species, the color of the coat of arachnid primates can vary from gray to black. The main habitat is Peru, Central, South America, Brazil, Bolivia. Above, we examined where many, many wild monkeys live. It is worth noting that, despite the beauty and visual good nature of some representatives of primates, in fact they can be cunning and very dangerous. In our country, you can look at monkeys in zoos located in large cities.

Monkeys are known to be very intelligent animals. There are about 280 of their species on the planet. And today we want to introduce you to a list with photos of ten monkeys that differ from the rest in their unusual appearance.

Tonkinsky Gulman

Tonkin Gulman - rare view primates found in various forests in southern China and northeast Vietnam. They live in groups of 4–27 individuals, led by females. These active and noisy monkeys most they spend their lives in trees. The basis of their diet is shoots, fruits, flowers and bark. The length of the head and body of males of the Tonkin Gulman reaches 55–64 cm, females 47–59 cm. The weight of males is 6.5–7.2 kg, females 5.5–5.9 kg. Total individuals living in wild nature, is unknown, but is believed to be fewer than 500 in Vietnam and 1400–1650 in China.

Proboscis is a species of monkey found in rainforests and mangroves along rivers exclusively on the island of Borneo. hallmark these unusual monkeys is their pear-shaped large nose, which is available only in males. Nosachi live in groups of 10 to 30 individuals. They feed mainly on leaves and fruits, sometimes flowers of plants. The length of the head and body of males is 73–76 cm, females 54–64 cm. The weight of males is 16–22 kg, females 7–12 kg. Nosachi swim and dive well. They are considered the best swimmers of all primates. The species is endangered and is included in the list of the ugliest animals on the planet.

Eighth place in the list of the most unusual species of monkeys is occupied by the Nemean thin-bodied - a species of primates that inhabits Various types forests of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. They live in groups of up to 50 individuals. They feed mainly on young leaves, fruits, seeds and flowers. Most of the time is spent in the trees. Adult males reach an average weight of 11 kg, females approximately 8.4 kg. Their body length is 61–76 cm, tail length is 56–76 cm. Life expectancy is up to 25 years. They are in danger of extinction.

Baboon - a species of large monkeys, common in the semi-open mountainous and flat areas of Angola, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia and Tanzania. This very agile monkey spends most of its time on the ground, where it keeps close to trees, where it sometimes spends the night. They live in herds of 20 to 200 individuals (80 on average). Their body length reaches an average of 75 cm, weight 20-25 kg. Life expectancy is 20–30 years. They feed on fruits, grains, bulbs, shoots, insects, small mammals. Baboons are often kept in zoos.

Roxellanus rhinopithecine is a species of primates found in a small area in mountainous and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in southern and central China. These animals are among the most cold-resistant primates, for which the Chinese called them "snow monkeys". They spend almost their entire lives on trees and, at the slightest danger, climb onto their tops. They feed mainly (when there are no fruits) tree bark, pine needles and lichens. They live in groups of 9–18 animals. The length of their body is 57–76 cm, the length of the tail is 51–72 cm, the weight of males is 15–39 kg, and that of females is 6.5–10 kg. The species is under threat of extinction.

The orangutan is a highly intelligent species of large monkey found only in the rainforests of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. They spend most of their lives on trees, on which they move with the help of long arms (the span reaches 2 m), helping themselves with their feet. They feed mainly on fruits and leaves of trees, sometimes insects, bird eggs, honey, nuts and bark. The growth of males can reach 1.5 m (usually less), body weight - 50–90 and even 135 kg. Females are much smaller - their height is about 1 m, weight 30–50 kg. Orangutans live up to 30 years. This type are endangered and listed in the International Red Book.

White-headed Langur

In fourth place in the ranking of the most unusual monkeys on the planet is the white-headed langur - one of the rarest primates in the world (the number is estimated at less than 70 individuals), found only in forests in southern China and northern Vietnam. They live in groups of five to nine animals, usually with one dominant male. They feed mainly on leaves, fruits, flowers and tree bark. The body length of males is 55–62 cm, females 47–55 cm. The weight of males is 8–9.5 kg, females 6–8 kg. Animals have average duration life 25 years.

Gelada

Gelada is a rare species of monkey found only on the mountain plateaus in Ethiopia. They are social animals and live in groups of up to 70 individuals, which sometimes combine to form huge herds up to 350 animals. All the time is spent exclusively on the ground. Never climb trees. They mainly feed on grass leaves, seeds and excavated underground stems and rhizomes, sometimes fruits and small invertebrates. The length of the head and body of males is 69–74 cm, females 50–65 cm. The weight of males reaches 20 kg, females 12–16 kg. Considered one of the most dangerous herbivores and the most loud monkeys in the world.

The Japanese macaque is the northernmost monkey that lives in various forests in the north of the island of Honshu in Japan, where snow lies up to four months, and the average winter temperature is -5 ° C. During this period, Japanese macaques spend most of their time in hot springs. They live in groups of 20 to 100 individuals with a strict hierarchy. The length of their body reaches 79–95 cm. The weight of males is 10–14 kg, females - 5.5 kg. Japanese macaques are omnivorous, feeding mainly on fruits, leaves, seeds, plant roots, fungi, as well as insects, fish, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. Interestingly, this monkey, along with humans and raccoons, is the only animal that washes food before eating it.

The most unusual type of monkey in the world is the spectacled thin-bodied, common in the forests of Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. They live in groups of 5 to 20 animals. Almost never come down to the ground. They prefer to stay in the upper tiers of trees (at heights of 35 meters or higher). They feed mainly on leaves, a variety of fruits and flowers. Able to eat up to 2 kg per day. The length of their body is 42–61 cm, the length of the tail is 50–85 cm. On average, an adult male of a spectacled slender body weighs 7.4 kg, a female 6.5 kg.