Facts about Monkeys
15. There are currently 264 known monkey species.
14. The smallest primate is the pygmy mouse lemur, which can fit in the palm of your hand.
13. As one of our closest relatives, these mammals are very intelligent and have opposable thumbs, allowing them to use tools and play games.
12. The origins of the word "monkey" are unclear. It could come from Moneke, the name of the son of Martin the Ape in a medieval animal story. It appears also to be related to manikin, from the Dutch manneken ("little man").
11. The largest—the gorilla—can weigh more than 400 pounds.
10. They can show love, anger, sadness, mourn the loss of loved ones, and even laugh.
9. Monkeys are usually classified into two groups, the Old World monkeys found in Africa and Asia, and the New World monkeys found in South America.
8. Some of the top predators of this primate include eagles as well as humans.
7. There are about 15,000 pet monkeys in the US.
6. Most primates live in warm climates, and most depend on forests for their survival.
5. Monkeys can and will exhibit outbursts of sudden and deadly rage if provoked.
4. Some monkeys live on the ground, while others live in trees.
3. Monkeys are most easily distinguished from apes by their tails. Apes have no tails.
2. The primates have two canine teeth, four of which are cutting teeth.
1. Monkeys do not ever catch an every day cold.
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