Monkeys are notorious and funny creatures and everyone loves to have a sight of them. They are often playful and we all have seen them in a zoo or circus playing their tricks! They are always an amusing sight. We think we know monkeys but do we really? Here we present some interesting facts about monkeys that you’ll flip around for.
1. Groups
There are monkeys primarily from three groups: Old World Monkeys, New World Monkeys and Apes.
Source: wikipedia
2. Monkeys Can Count
Monkeys may not balance your check book or do your account work (or math homework!), but you gotta give them credits. A study supports the fact that monkeys respond to the numbers very well. The small study of two rhesus monkeys reveals that cells in their brains respond selectively to specific number values – regardless of whether the amount is represented by dots on a screen or an Arabic numeral. Quite intelligent, must say!
Source: newscientist.com
3. Secrets to Attract a Woman
Kinda feels like monkeys aren’t using the obvious methods to attract females! Capuchin monkeys like to urinate on their hands and then spread it on their fur to attract a female monkey. This process shows that they are single and ready to mingle.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
4. Good with Everything
Bonobo monkeys or formerly called pygmy chimpanzees, which are considered to be the predecessors of Homo sapiens, is naturally bisexual.
Source: wikipedia
5. Harvesters
In Malaysia and Thailand, monkeys are trained and then hired as coconut harvesters. Gotta use that agility somewhere, right?
Source: wikipedia
6. Illusions Illusions Everywhere
Again like us, monkeys are prone to optical illusions.
Source: wikipedia
7. Don’t Cross the Line
In 2011, in a crazy happening, a monkey was literally arrested for crossing the Pakistan border with India.
Source: news.daily.co.uk
8. Take My Order
A Japanese restaurant called “The Kayabukiya tavern”, a traditional ‘sake house’ north of Tokyo, has employed a pair of uniformed Japanese macaque called Yat-chan and Fuku-chan to serve the customers! Now that is what we call ‘strike while the iron is hot.’
Source: wikipedia, Image: goorama.com
9. Star War Fans?
Star Wars fans would unlikely be known that Yoda was almost played by a monkey! No need to re-read it because you heard it damn right, sir! George Lucas originally intended to have a monkey play Yoda in “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back.” The animal was even taught to hold Yoda’s signature cane.
Source: huffington.co.uk
10. Raised by Monkeys
Now we have all heard about Tarzan, haven’t we? Here’s a similar story. A Columbian woman claims that she was raised by Capuchin monkeys when she was left abandoned in a jungle at the age of four. As their adopted daughter, she claims she learned to scale trees and catch birds and rabbits with her bare hand. There’s a book about her subject called ‘A Girl with No Name’.
Source: news.com.au
11. Yummy!
Monkey brains are enjoyed by the locals as a part of “snacks” in many countries of South Asia, in addition to China and Africa.
Source: today.com, Image: theawesomer.com
12. Monkey Bars
Only the apes and spider monkeys swing arm-to-arm in trees while rest of the monkeys do not. They run across branches.
Source: spinfold.com
13. Largest and Smallest
The Pygmy Marmoset is the world’s smallest monkey, according to sources. It weighs 85 to 140 grams and measures 117-159 millimeters. On the other hand, the largest monkey is the male Mandrill, which weighs almost 35 kilograms and is 1 meter long.
Source: spinfold.com
14. Girls!! Date the Monkey
South American Titi monkeys are monogamous. They become distressed when separated with a mate for life. They show affection by lip smacking, cuddling, nuzzling, holding hands, grooming each other. Learn, boys!
Source: spinfold.com
15. Thumbs and Fingers
New World Monkeys, including the spider monkeys, do not have thumbs. Squirrel monkeys and Capuchins have pseudo-opposable thumbs. They are the only New World Monkeys of this type.
Source: wikipedia, Image: wikipedia
16. Old World Monkeys
There are two kinds of old world monkeys: Generalists and Specialists. Specialists mainly eat leaves while the Generalists eat almost everything.
Source: wikipedia
17. Confused?
Are you often confused between monkeys and apes? Now you’ll not be confused anymore. To distinguish between then, you’ll have to take a look at their tails. No tail means an ape.
Source: spinfold.com
18. New World vs. Old World
Ten New World monkey species have been classified as nocturnal. All known Old World monkeys are diurnal. Some Old World monkeys, such as Drills, have sitting pads on their rumps, but New World monkeys do not. Old World monkeys have 32 teeth. New World monkeys have 36! So now you know the difference quite well.
Source: facts.randomhistory.com
19. Skilled
Capuchins are skilled tool users. They smash nuts with rocks, insert branches into crevices to capture food, remove spines and hairs from caterpillars by rubbing them against a branch, protect their hands with leaves, and use large branches to club snakes.
Source: wikipedia
