Attention all monkey lovers and curious minds!
Did you know that monkeys have fingerprints just like humans?
Or that some monkeys use tools to crack open nuts and fruits?
These are just a couple of the amazing facts you’ll discover in our list of 50 mind-blowing monkey facts for kids!
Whether you’re a fan of cute and cuddly primates or you’re simply fascinated by these intelligent creatures, our collection of fun and fascinating facts will leave you swinging with excitement.
So, grab a banana and get ready to go bananas with these incredible monkey facts!
Here are 50 mind-blowing monkey facts your kids will find fascinating:
50 Fun Facts About Monkeys for Kids
1. There are over 264 different species of monkeys around the world. (Source: KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
2. Monkeys have opposable thumbs, which enables them to use tools and play games. Do you think you could beat a monkey in a video game? (Source: livescience.com)
3. There are two main types of monkeys: New World monkeys live in the Americas (North America, Central America, and South America). Old World monkeys live in Asia and Africa. One difference between the two types is that Old World monkeys don’t have prehensile (gripping) tails; New World monkeys do. (Source: livescience.com)
4. Old-world monkeys fill their cheek pouches with food. They swallow it later when they find a safe place to rest.
5. Monkeys eat nuts, fruits, seeds, and flowers. Some monkeys also eat meat like bird eggs, small animals like lizards, small insects and spiders. (Source: livescience.com)
6. Howler monkeys are the loudest monkeys (and the loudest land animal) and can be heard from up to 3 miles away. (Source: National Geographic)
7. A Howler Monkey has an extremely long tail that is five times as long as its body.
8. The Pygmy Marmoset is the world’s smallest known monkey. It’s about the size of a banana. That’s about 4 – 4 ½ inches. (Source: National Geographic & KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
9. The Pygmy Marmoset monkey (the smallest monkey) has teeth that allow it to gouge into the trunks of trees to get sap. That’s one way to get syrup for your pancakes! (Source: livescience.com)
10. The nose of male Proboscis Monkeys can exceed 3.9 inches (10 centimeters), and is thought to woo females. That means the bigger the nose, the more the ladies like ’em! (Source: livescience.com)
11. Squirrel Monkeys have more than 25 different calls. These calls can sound like barks, purrs, screams, peeps, and squawks. You’re lucky there isn’t a Squirrel Monkey outside your bedroom window, or you’d never sleep! (brittanica.com)
12. The Lesula Monkey was discovered in June 2007 in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Source: journals.plos.org)
13. Adult monkeys can live between 10 and 50 years. (Source: KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
14. Monkeys have tails, but apes don’t. Now you know! (Source: KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
15. Every monkey has a unique fingerprint, just like humans. Do you think they use their fingerprint to unlock their iPhone? (Source: KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
16. Antarctica is the only continent with no monkeys. Can you think of the other six continents? (Source: KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
17. The furriest monkeys are Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys who live in the cold snowy mountains of China. (Source: National Geographic)
18. Patas are the fastest monkeys (and the fastest primates!). They can run up to 35 miles per hour, or as fast as a race horse. They can sprint from zero to 33 miles an hour in just three seconds. (Source: National Geographic)
19. Patas live in groups divided by sex. That means a male Patas monkey lives only with other males and females live only with other females. (Sourse: livescience.com)
20. Capuchin Monkeys are sometimes kept as pets, but they are not domesticated. Wildlife experts strongly advise against keeping Capuchin Monkeys as pets. (Source: National Geographic)
21. White-throated Capuchin Monkeys spend most of their lives in trees. (Source: National Geographic)
22. Capuchins Monkeys actually use tools. For example, they smash nuts with rocks and use large branches to club snakes. (Source: livescience.com)
23. White-faced Capuchin Monkeys say hello by sticking their finger up each other’s noses. Yep, it’s true. (Source: National Georgraphic)
24. Ayla the Capuchin Monkey goes to Monkey College! Ayla lives at a school that trains capuchins to assist disabled people who can’t use their hands. (Read all about it here.)
25. Spider Monkeys are very social animals and like gather in a group of monkeys up to 36 large. This is their social group. At night, they leave their large groups, and split up into smaller groups of about six to sleep. (Source: National Geographic)
26. Spider Monkey have no thumbs. But they have prehensile tails (that means they can grip the branch) that allow them to move gracefully from tree branch to tree branch. (Source: National Geographic)
27. South American Titi monkeys mate for life. They show their love by intertwining their tales, holding hands, and cuddling. (Source: livescience.com)
28. Groups of monkeys are called missions, tribes, troops or cartloads. These groups work together to take care of the young monkeys, play, and cuddle. (Source: livescience.com)
29. The largest monkey is the leader of the troop. They fight for the position, so they have to be the strongest, too! Once they are the leader, they can mate with any of the females. (Source: livescience.com)
30. A baby monkey is considered an adult between four and five years old. Female monkeys are usually the ones to care for their children. (Source: livescience.com)
31. The first living creature in space was a Rhesus Monkey named Albert I. He went to space even before humans! His launch took place in White Sands, New Mexico, on June 11, 1948. They sent him to space instead of a human because they wanted to see if it was safe before they sent humans up. How do you think he felt? (Source: NASA – https://history.nasa.gov/animals.html
32. Monkeys can remember specific routes in the forest when moving from one region of the forest to another. (konnecthq.com)
33. Owl monkeys have eyes that can see in the dark. They can communicate with each other using scents. (konnecthq.com)
34. Apes are not considered to be monkeys. (Source: konnecthq.com)
35. Some species of monkeys can see in color while others can only differentiate between black and white.
5 Best Monkey Books for Kids
36. The word monkey might have come from a popular German story called “Roman de Renart” (Reynard the Fox). In that story, the name of the son of Martin the Ape is Moneke. Kind of sounds like “monkey”! (Source: kids.kiddle.co)
37. In Africa, monkeys can be sold as “bushmeat” (meat of wild animals).
38. Monkey brains are eaten in some parts of Africa, South Asia, and China.
39. In the Hindu religion, there is a human-like monkey god called Hanuman. He is believed to bestow courage, strength and longevity to the person who thinks about him.
40. Male Mandrills are the largest monkeys. An adult male can be 3 feet long and weigh up to 100 pounds. (Source: National Geographic & KonnectHQ Nature & Science)
41. The bright blue and red colors on a Mandrill’s face get brighter when they are excited. They also have pouches in their cheeks where they store food for snacks. (Source: livescience.com)
42. Macaques have many facial expressions which they use to communicate. They use their ears, brows, eyes and mouth to express different emotions. Just like you!
43. Grinning is actually a sign of aggression in monkeys. So is yawning, head bobbing, and pulling the lip. (Source: livescience.com)
44. Monkeys express affection, show their love, and make up with one another by grooming each other. (Source: livescience.com)
45. Proboscis monkeys can swim! Where do you think they took swimming lessons? (Source: konnecthq.com)
46. Monkeys sleep for about 9.5 hours per night. How many hours do you sleep in a night? (Source: konnecthq.com)
47. Nocturnal night monkeys from South Africa sleep for 17 hours a day. That’s a lot of sleep! (Source: konnecthq.com)
48. Monkeys sleep while sitting on trees. They balance on branches, resting on their bottoms, and often upright. They do this for security reasons to keep away from predators. (Source: konnecthq.com)
49. Many types of monkeys are endangered species, or at risk of dying out completely. They face major threats like habitat loss, which means people have cut down the trees in large parts of the tropical forests where monkeys live. People also hunt monkeys for their meat and fur. In addition, some monkeys are captured and sold as pets. (Source: Brittanica)
50. There are only 150 Tonkin Snub-Nosed monkeys in existence. (livescience.com)
There are many things that can be done to help endangered monkeys, and every little action counts.
Here are some ways you can make a difference:
- Support conservation organizations: There are many organizations dedicated to protecting primates and their habitats. Consider donating to or volunteering with one of these organizations to help fund research, education, and conservation efforts.
- Avoid buying products made from endangered species: Many products, such as traditional medicines, cosmetics, and souvenirs, are made using parts of endangered animals. By avoiding these products, you can reduce the demand for them, which can help protect monkeys and other wildlife.
- Choose sustainable products: Palm oil, for example, is a major driver of deforestation, which threatens the habitats of many monkey species. By choosing products made with sustainable palm oil or avoiding palm oil altogether, you can help protect monkey habitats.
- Reduce your carbon footprint: Climate change is a significant threat to many monkey species, and reducing your carbon footprint can help reduce the impacts of climate change on their habitats.
- Educate others: By spreading awareness about the threats facing monkeys and other endangered species, you can help inspire others to take action to protect them.
By taking these actions, we can all help protect the future of these intelligent and fascinating creatures.
We hope you loved these amazing monkey facts.
They are truly incredible animals, and we hope this article helps spread love and respect for them. If you’re interested in helping protect endangered monkeys, head to pasa.org.
Related Posts:
100 Mind-Blowing Facts About Elephants
50 Interesting Facts About Snakes
50 Amazing Rhino Facts for Kids
50 Mind-Blowing Mars Facts for Kids
Emperor Penguin Facts for Kids
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
