Primate order: classification, characteristics, characteristics, range and protection status. Primate order: classification, characteristics, characteristics, habitat and protection status Where do monkeys live and what do they eat?

In the language of the indigenous people of Africa - the Luba tribe - "chimpanzee" means "human-like." The truth of this statement has been scientifically proven. Scientists have calculated that evolutionary paths chimpanzees and humans diverged just 6 million years ago. And today it is the most striking and amazing representative of the genus of anthropoid primates, genetically and biochemically Homo sapiens the closest. For example, the similarity between our DNA is almost 90%.

Description of chimpanzee

But the “humanity” of chimpanzees is not limited to DNA similarity.

Appearance

Chimpanzees, just like humans, have blood types and individual fingerprints.. They can be distinguished by them - the pattern never repeats. Chimpanzees differ in height from humans. The largest males do not exceed 1.5 meters in height. Females are even lower – 1.3 meters. But at the same time, chimpanzees are very strong physically and have well-developed muscles, which not every Homo sapiens can boast of.

The structure of the skull is distinguished by pronounced brow ridges, a flat nose and a strongly protruding jaw armed with sharp teeth. The skull is made by nature with a reserve - the brain occupies only half of its volume. The front and hind legs of chimpanzees are the same length. An outstanding feature of the structure of their paws is thumb, which is located at a distance from the others and allows the monkey to deftly handle small objects.

The entire body of a chimpanzee is covered with fur. Nature made an exception for the face, palms and soles of the monkey’s feet. Adolescent chimpanzees have, among their dark, thick fur, small area white- in the area of ​​the coccyx. As the monkey ages, the hairs darken and turn brown. This feature allows chimpanzees to distinguish children from adults and treat them accordingly. It has been noticed that monkeys with white “islands” on the tailbone get away with a lot, that is, from their paws. Adult primates do not punish them for pranks and do not demand much. But as soon as the white hairs disappear, childhood ends.

Chimpanzee species

Chimpanzees belong to the genus great apes and are related to gorillas and orangutans. There are two types of chimpanzees - the common chimpanzee and the bonobo chimpanzee. Bonobos are often called “pygmy chimpanzees,” which is not entirely true. A bonobo is not a dwarf as such, it’s just that its body structure is different from common chimpanzee great grace. Also, this species, the only one of the monkeys, has red lips, like those of humans.

The common chimpanzee has subspecies:

• black-faced or chimpanzee what - distinguished by freckles on the face;
• Western chimpanzee - has a black mask on its face in the shape of a butterfly;
• Schweinfurtian - has two distinctive features: light-colored complexion, which acquires a dirty tint with age, and longer hair than its relatives.

Character and lifestyle

Chimpanzee is a social animal, lives in groups of up to 20-30 individuals. The group is led by a male in common chimpanzees, and by a female in bonobos. The leader is not always the strongest primate in the group, but he must be the most cunning. He needs to be able to build relationships with his relatives in such a way that they obey him. To do this, he chooses a company of close associates, such as security guards, whom he can rely on in case of danger. The rest of the male competitors are kept in fear of obedience.

When a leader “fails” due to old age or injury, his place is immediately taken by a younger and more promising “commander”. Females in the pack also obey a strict hierarchy. There are female leaders who are in a special position. Males pay increased attention to them, and this secures their chosen status. These chimpanzees get the tastiest morsels and the most a large number of suitors during the mating period.

This is interesting! Bonobos, due to the lack of aggression in their character, resolve all conflicts within the group peacefully - by mating.

Female chimpanzees are considered to be more docile but less intelligent than males when it comes to learning and training. But they express great affection for a person and do not harbor the threat of aggressive disobedience, unlike males, who are “led astray from the righteous path” by the instinct of dominance. Social image life makes it easier for chimpanzees to hunt, protect offspring, and helps to accumulate useful skills in the group. They learn a lot from each other while living together. Scientists have proven that lonely monkeys have reduced overall health indicators. The appetite is worse than that of collective relatives, and the metabolism is slowed down.

Chimpanzees are forest dwellers. They need trees. They build nests on them, find food, and use them to escape, grabbing branches, from the enemy. But, with equal success, these monkeys also move on the ground, using all four paws. Walking upright, on two legs, is not typical for chimpanzees in the natural environment.

It has been noted that chimpanzees are inferior to orangutans in tree-climbing dexterity, but are superior to gorillas in the cleanliness of their nests. The design of chimpanzee nests is not elegant and is made simply - from branches and sticks, assembled together in a chaotic manner. Chimpanzees sleep only in nests, in trees, for safety reasons.

Chimpanzees can swim, but they don't like it. They generally prefer not to get wet unless absolutely necessary. Their main pastime is eating and relaxing. Everything is leisurely and measured. The only thing that breaks life harmony monkeys - the appearance of an enemy. In this case, the chimpanzees raise an incredible cry. Chimpanzees are capable of producing up to 30 types of sounds, but they cannot reproduce human speech, since they “speak” while exhaling, and not while inhaling, like a person. Communication within the group is also facilitated by body language and body posture. There is also facial expressions. Chimpanzees can smile and change their facial expressions.

Chimpanzees are smart animals. These monkeys learn quickly. Living with a person, they easily adopt his manners and habits, sometimes demonstrating amazing results. It is a known fact that a sailor's monkey could handle an anchor and sails and was able to light the stove in the galley and keep the fire going.

Living in a group, chimpanzees successfully exchange their accumulated experience. Young animals learn from mature primates simply by observing and copying their behavior. These monkeys, in their natural habitat, themselves came up with the idea of ​​using sticks and stones as tools for obtaining food, and large leaves plants - like a scoop for water or an umbrella in case of rain, or a fan, or even toilet paper.

Chimpanzees are capable of admiring a flower that does not represent nutritional value, or a close look at a crawling python.

This is interesting! Unlike humans, a chimpanzee will not destroy objects and living beings that are useless and harmless to him; rather, on the contrary. There are cases of chimpanzees feeding turtles. Just!

How long does a chimpanzee live?

In the harsh environment of the wild, chimpanzees rarely live beyond 50 years of age. But in the zoo, under human supervision, this monkey was allowed to live up to 60 years.

Range, habitats

Chimpanzees are inhabitants of Central and Western Africa. They choose tropical rainforests and montane forests with plenty of vegetation. Today bonobos can only be found in Central Africa- in the rainforests between the Congo and Lualaba rivers.

Populations of common chimpanzees are registered in the territories of: Cameroon, Guinea, Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and a number of other countries in equatorial Africa.

Primates have always interested people more than other animals. This is largely due to Darwin's theory and anthropological data on certain species. Next, let's look at where monkeys live, their varieties and life cycle features.

general information

There are several hundred species of primates in nature, the most famous of which are apes. The length of a monkey's body can vary from a few centimeters to two meters. As a rule, these animals lead wood image life, stay in groups. Omnivorous animals are active during the day. Preferences in plant or animal food depend on the habitat. Where do monkeys live? Let's look at their living environment by family.

Marmosets and galags

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

The nocturnal animals of galagos are very active jumpers. The main diet is fruits, other fruits, and invertebrates. Habitat - Africa. These can be either dry regions with thorny bushes or places with a tropical climate.

Family of apes

Next, let's look at where do monkeys that are most similar to humans live and what do they eat? 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 build of the body, long front and short hind limbs. The head is round in shape with a prominent facial part. They also have a well-developed brain.

Mostly great apes live in tropical forests, lead a diurnal lifestyle and spend a lot of time in trees. Habitat regions - Equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia and adjacent island territories. Food: fruits of trees, parts of bushes, insects, birds, small animals.

Gibbons

This family is characterized by the following features:

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

Gibbon families live primarily in tropical forests in trees, feeding on leaves and fruits. Habitat: Kalimantan, Sumatra, Java, Indochina, Thailand, Burma.

Where do dwarf lemurs live?

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

Tarsiers

Below we describe 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°.
• shortened muzzle;
• eyes - large bulging;
• well-developed heel section;
• the wool is velvety, reddish or gray in color;
• the long elastic tail has a tassel at the end;
• diet - vertebrates, insects, lizards, birds and eggs.

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

Hands

This family is represented by one species and is listed in the Red Book. Individuals are small in size, have a slender and somewhat elongated body, a rounded head, and a shortened facial part. Monkeys have rough, brown or black fur.

Where do monkeys of this family live? Their main habitats are bamboo and mangrove thickets, as well as jungles. Primates are active at night, lead an arboreal lifestyle, sleeping in tree hollows or in their crowns. The main food is insects and larvae. This rare species can only be found in Madagascar.

Monkeys

Features of this family:

• the category includes eight genera of primates;
• some of them are tailless;
• the body type is different - from an elegant light body to a massive and heavy body;
• hind limbs shorter than front legs;
• the hairline is long and silky;
• hair 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 apes. Some of them lead an arboreal lifestyle, others move on the ground. During the day, animals are active; at night, they roost in caves or tree cavities. Population regions - Southeast Asia, Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Gibraltar.

Capuchins

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

These representatives of primates are excellent at moving through trees, feeding plant foods, however, they do not disdain insects, bird eggs and other small animals. Capuchins hold prey with the help of their front paws; their muzzle is capable of expressing some emotions. Habitat: South and Central America, Argentina, Mexico.

Where does the spider monkey live?

This category of primates lives on tree branches and moves along them with the help of prehensile 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, feeding on plant and animal foods.

Depending on the species, the coat color of arachnid primates can vary from gray to black. The main habitat is Peru, Central and South America, Brazil, Bolivia. Above we looked at where many, many live wild monkeys. 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 see monkeys in zoos located in large cities.

As you know, monkeys are very smart animals. There are about 280 species of them 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

Tonkinsky Gulman - rare view primates, found in various forests in southern China and northeastern Vietnam. They live in groups of 4–27 individuals, led by females. These active and noisy monkeys spend most of their lives in trees. The basis of their diet consists of shoots, fruits, flowers and bark. The length of the head and body of male 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 wildlife, is unknown, but there are believed to be fewer than 500 left in Vietnam and 1400–1650 in China.

The proboscis monkey is a species of monkey found in tropical forests and mangroves along rivers exclusively on the island of Borneo. Distinctive feature these unusual monkeys is their pear-shaped large nose, which only males have. Proboscis whales live in groups of 10 to 30 individuals. They feed mainly on leaves and fruits, sometimes on plant flowers. 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. Proboscis whales 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 tonkotel - a species of primate inhabiting 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. They spend most of their time in 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 endangered.

The baboon is a species of large monkey, distributed in the semi-open mountainous and lowland territories 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 stays close to trees, where it sometimes sleeps. They live in herds of 20 to 200 individuals (average 80). 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.

Roxellanicus rhinopithecus is a species of primate found in a small area of ​​montane and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests in southern and central China. These animals are among the most cold-resistant primates, for which the Chinese nicknamed them “snow monkeys.” They spend almost their entire lives on trees and, at the slightest danger, climb to their tops. They feed mainly (when there are no fruits) tree bark, pine needles and lichens. They live in groups of 9–18 animals. Their body length is 57–76 cm, tail length 51–72 cm, weight of males 15–39 kg, females 6.5–10 kg. The species is endangered.

Orangutan - very smart look large monkeys that live only in rain forests on Borneo islands and Sumatra. They spend most of their lives in trees, along which they move with the help of long arms(span reaches 2 m), helping yourself with your feet. They feed mainly on fruits and tree leaves, sometimes insects, bird eggs, honey, nuts and bark. The height 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 species is endangered and is 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 the forests of 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 an average lifespan of 25 years.

Gelada

Gelada is a rare species of monkey found only on the mountain plateaus of Ethiopia. They are social animals and live in groups of up to 70 individuals, which sometimes join together to form huge herds of up to 350 animals. They spend all their time exclusively on the ground. They 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 loudest monkeys in the world.

The Japanese macaque is the northernmost monkey, living 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. Their body length reaches 79–95 cm. The weight of males is 10–14 kg, females – 5.5 kg. Japanese macaques Omnivores, they feed 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, are the only animals that wash their food before eating it.

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

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.

Animal monkey - special kind mammals, which is similar in structure to humans. The animal belongs to the order of primates, suborder dry-nose.

Adults can reach a height of up to 2.5 meters, the smallest monkeys do not exceed 15 centimeters. Most close-up view of this animal are gorillas, especially males.

The weight of such a large primate varies from 250-280 kg, while very small monkeys can weigh only 200 grams.

Monkeys that live in trees have a specially elongated back, which allows them to wrap around branches and also allows them to jump and climb trees well.

Some species of monkeys have a long tail, usually longer than the entire body, it allows you to maintain balance and easily move through the bushes. Monkeys that live on land have a much shorter tail, and those primates that are similar to humans have no tail at all.

The body of monkeys is covered with hair, their color can be from light red to black, it all depends on where the monkey lives and what species it belongs to.

Monkeys, like humans, when they reach a certain age, turn gray and may go bald; this applies more to males.

Monkeys have fairly developed limbs, especially the upper ones; like humans, they have five fingers, only the tips of the fingers are covered with rough nails. Also, the development of the limbs largely depends on how and where the monkey lives; it is believed that the most developed primates are those that live in trees.

Primates have teeth similar to humans, but monkeys with a narrow nose have a different oral cavity, also in narrow-nosed and broad-nosed monkeys different quantities teeth, the first have 32, the second have 36.

These mammals are different developed brain, they are quite smart, especially anthropoid species is able to understand well and also perform some actions meaningfully.

They communicate with each other using special signals, which consist of individual sounds and facial expressions. The most noisy are the monkeys; you can hear their squeaking for hours.

Their facial expressions are also well developed; they can express their dissatisfaction, joy, love, and can even tease.

Where do certain species of primates live?

Monkeys live all over the world in separate parts of countries and continents. Densely populated by monkeys Gibraltar, Asia, Japan, China, Africa (except Madagascar), in the tropics South America, Australia.

Chimpanzees can be found in Western America, gorillas live in Africa, Mauritania, and Guinea. Orangutans love rain forests, that’s why they inhabit Sumatra and Kalimantan.

The howler monkey species lives in the southern parts of Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.

There are quite a lot of monkeys and gibbons in Asia and Africa. Gibbons love the climate of India, Malaysia, and also humid tropics in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, China.

Hamadryas inhabit all parts of Africa, but baboons live only in certain parts of it - Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia.

How and how long do monkeys live?

Some species live in trees with dense crowns; it is comfortable for them to hide there, as well as shelter from rain and sun. Monkeys defend their place, so if another one tries to drive it away from its favorite bush, it will respond with aggression and a strong squeak.

Monkeys living on the ground move everywhere, they usually do not occupy separate places, and live in packs in the general territory of the forest.

Primates can live up to 45 years on average.

What do primates eat?

Monkeys are a special type of animal that eats everything, their diet depends on the places in which they live, on land or on the ground. Monkeys living in trees eat leaves, fruits, buds, nuts, and also eat large insects.

Primates that lead a terrestrial lifestyle consume plant roots and shoots, and they especially love fern leaves. In addition to fruits, special species eat fish, mice, lizards, and also like to feast on beetles and grasshoppers.

Types and photos of monkeys

The black howler is a monkey from the arachnid family. The primate received this name because of its roaring sounds, which can be heard 6 km away.

The males of such monkeys are black in color, while the female, on the contrary, is light brown. Howler monkeys live in Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina.

The mourning capuchin is a special species of primate belonging to the prehensile-tailed family. The weight of such a monkey varies from 3 to 4 kg.

The animal's fur is light brown in color and has a black triangular tuft on its head. These primates feed on insects and tree shoots. They live in Brazil and Suriname.

White-handed gibbon - this type of monkey is similar to humans. Adults reach a height of 65 cm and weigh up to 5 kg. The coloring of such primates is brown, sandy, sometimes even light beige.

Such monkeys feed on insects, leaves, and fruits. The species lives in China.

There are a huge number of monkey breeds, they all live in different parts of the planet. The animal gets along well with people and can be trained; specially trained monkeys help disabled people move.

Photos of monkeys