As you know, the tropics are rich in vegetation. But the wildlife of the rainforests is no less diverse and beautiful. In our article we want to talk about monkeys living in these parts.
Chimpanzee
I must say that the tropic monkeys are quite numerous and diverse. Among them there are very small individuals, and very large ones that exceed human growth, just real giants.
Let's start the conversation with the smartest representative of this family. Who do you think will be discussed? Of course, about the chimpanzees, who are most famous for their learning and understanding. Monkeys climb well, but spend a lot of time on the ground, traveling on foot. They walk on all four limbs, able to overcome up to 50 kilometers per day. This is a sufficiently large distance for such a creature.
But chimpanzees are still sleeping in the trees, because they feel so safer. As we said, this is the smartest monkey. Chimpanzee is one of the few animals that can use different tools. For example, monkeys, dropping a wand into a termite, get ants in this way and then lick them. Chimpanzees feed on almost everything that comes around.
The language of these monkeys consists of a variety of sounds, but they also use facial expressions for communication. Their faces can express a variety of emotions, very similar to ours. As a rule, one cub is born in chimpanzees, in very rare cases two. The kid spends his childhood hanging on his mother, clutching her coat.
Chimpanzee habitat
These monkeys live in large communities (from 30 to 80 individuals), which, in turn, are divided into smaller family subgroups. Sometimes animals move from one group to another, and such migration is met by enthusiastic emotions from other animals. Especially often the groups of females change. They behave non-aggressively, peacefully communicating with each other. Males, on the contrary, love to defend their primacy by tearing out a small tree with a root and brandishing it menacingly.
Groups have their own hierarchy. However, the leader is not the strongest male, but rather the most cunning and clever. In general, chimpanzees are very peaceful, but at the same time noisy. Quite often quarrels arise in groups over rivalry between males and even fights in which the strongest wins. It should be noted that chimpanzees have very developed family feelings, even in fights, related individuals help each other. Family ties are especially strong in relations between mother and child; they remain for many years, especially between women.
Chimpanzee Species
The genus of chimpanzee is divided into two types:
- Chimpanzee pygmy.
- Chimpanzee common.
The common chimpanzee reaches 150 centimeters in height, and weighs less than 80 kilograms. Adults are strong enough. Imagine that people on a dynamometer can squeeze out only 100 kilograms, and chimpanzees - at least 500 pounds. The coat of animals is very stiff, it can be dark brown or black.
Such tropical monkeys as common chimpanzees live throughout the equatorial zone in the humid tropical forests of Africa (from the shores of the Gulf of Guinea to Tanzania).
Dwarf monkeys live in the west of the African continent . They are at least two times smaller than ordinary individuals. The hair on the head is long, the muzzle is black with wide lips. In general, dwarf chimpanzees resemble gorillas, but are not included in their group.
Biggest monkey
What do you think is the largest and strongest monkey? This is a gorilla. I must say that this is the largest representative of the family. The gorilla has rather large sizes and powerful fangs. Outwardly, she looks terrifying. But this is only a first impression. In fact, this is a good monkey. The gorilla lives both on the plains of Cameroon, Gabon and Congo, and in the mountainous regions in the heart of Africa (the Virunga Mountains).
Without exception, all monkeys are social animals. It is compulsory for them to stay in a group. And so the monkey lives in groups. Oddly enough, a tropical monkey spends most of his time eating. Gorillas are vegetarians, and therefore their main food is fruits, young shoots and leaves.
The primate (monkey) begins his day with walks around the nest, while eating grass and leaves. Lunch time is a period of rest when gorillas sleep or roam in the forest. In the afternoon, monkeys begin to build nests. It is the leader of the group who chooses a place of rest, usually this is the strongest male. At the command of the leader, everyone begins construction.
Unfortunately, such a large tropical monkey has now become an endangered species. Poachers prey on her because of the skull and fur.
Interesting gorilla facts
Do you know that:
- The largest tropical monkey is the gorilla.
- She lifts weight to 980 kilograms.
- In the wild, there are only three hundred mountain individuals left.
- The back of the males is painted silver.
- Cubs and females climb trees, but males usually remain on the ground.
- In captivity, a gorilla can live up to 50 years, and in nature, life expectancy ranges from thirty to forty years.
- The maximum weight of the male is 225 kg, and the female is 100 kilograms. When living in captivity, all indicators increase.
Gorillas are the monkeys of the rainforests of Africa. They live in small groups of up to 30 individuals. Be sure to have a leader and a couple of females with children. An interesting fact is that females have offspring once every few years, with only one baby. He remains with his mother until the next offspring.
Gorillas are quite peaceful. They would rather make menacing grimaces than attack humans. Maximum can bite.
Sometimes males converge in a fight, measuring their strength. But the females live together, only sometimes they quarrel.
As we have said, monkeys eat plant foods. They like celery, bedstraw, bamboo shoots, nettles, nuts and fruits. However, they can eat insects. Sometimes clay is included in their diet, which compensates for the lack of salts in the body. But the gorillas do not need to drink, they get the right fluid from food.
Animals do not like neither rain nor ponds.
Guinean baboons
What is Africa associated with? Monkeys are perhaps the first thing that comes to mind. And this is not at all accidental, because there really are a lot of them, and the variety is simply amazing.
In the coastal zone of the Gulf of Guinea there are large dog-like monkeys called Guinean baboons. They live in large herds and are serious pests of the fields. Monkeys eat those plants that seem tasty to them, and the rest is simply torn out and thrown, thereby causing significant damage.
It is interesting that they quite close people up to themselves, and then rush off to the spot, making formidable sounds against the pursuers. But despite the harm done, in Guinea no one is seriously fighting the baboons. The local population is very respectful of animals. And so the monkeys consider themselves masters of the situation. The population is only limited by the creation of deterrent structures.
Baboons are highly organized animals living in herds (up to 80 individuals). Together they travel, sleep and eat. In general, they live as one family. Of course, the community has its own hierarchy with the dominance of males.
During daytime rest, all related individuals gather near the oldest female. Even at night, the baboons sleep, hugging family members of the herd. The largest monkey becomes a leader and preserves this place for itself, as a rule, for several years.
Monkey Allen
The amazing continent of Africa. Monkeys are not the only interesting creatures living here. But it should be noted that there are a lot of them. Apparently this is due primarily to the reverent attitude of the local population towards them. Although there were times when good monkey fur was fashionable in Europe. At that time, a large number of individuals were exterminated, the number of which is now in critical condition.
A tropical monkey lives in Africa - the monkey Allen. It can be found in Congo and Cameroon. It inhabits flooded coastal forests. The monkey is a stocky creature with short but strong enough limbs. Long hair grows on the cheeks, which makes them resemble a lion's mane. An interesting fact is that on the front and hind limbs between the fingers there are membranes. And this indicates an aquatic (partially) lifestyle. Unlike other monkeys, the monkey Allen is not afraid of water, moreover, she swims remarkably and dives, running away from predators. In general, these monkeys settle near the water, because they like to sleep and relax near ponds.
Monkeys are small in size, the growth of males is not more than 60 centimeters, and the weight reaches six kilograms. Females are much smaller and weigh only 3.5 kilograms.
The monkeys move on four limbs. They are very emotional and curious. They feed mainly on land or in shallow water. The diet includes fish, beetles, worms, leaves, fruits, flowers, roots. Monkeys communicate with grunts with their relatives.
They live in communities in which there can be up to fifty individuals. At one time, the female leads one baby. In nature, a monkey lives about 20 years.
The famous green monkey
Probably the most interesting animals of the tropics are monkeys. In many ways, their behavior resembles human behavior. What is only their ability to make faces, emotionally communicate with relatives. Monkeys in the rainforest prefer wet vegetation. But under certain conditions they can also settle in dry places (light forests). However, a favorite habitat are places near rivers. In case of danger, they skillfully hide in the crowns of huge trees. The green monkey can also be found in the mountainous regions of Ethiopia. This is a very small monkey. Males, for example, weigh between three and nine kilograms, and females weigh even less - up to 5.3 kilograms. Animals of both sexes have fangs.
Monkeys lead a day life. They spend the night in the trees. Like all monkeys, the monkey moves on four limbs both on the ground and in the trees. Moreover, it can move very quickly, going to a gallop, but rarely jumps from tree to tree.
The monkey feeds, as a rule, on the ground with insects, leaves, seeds, small birds and eggs. In the wild, monkeys harm crops by attacking gardens and plantations. This encourages farmers to hunt them sometimes.
What is interesting about these tropical monkeys (photos are given in the article) is the internal organization of a family group, which can number more than seventy individuals. I must say that only females live in the herd, while males are expelled from society when they reach puberty. And for females in the family group, there is a clear hierarchy in which the daughter will inherit the status of her mother. In general, females love to communicate only with related individuals. Those monkeys that have a higher status gain privileges when feeding. But they are protected from enemies by the whole herd, in the process involved females and male adolescents who still live in the family.
Monkeys live up to twenty years.
Monkey Monkey
This animal lives in the west of Africa: Gann, Cameroon, on the island of Sao Tome. She was even brought to the islands in the Caribbean: Nevis, St. Keyes, Grenada. Mona lives in secondary and primary tropical forests, and can live in mangrove swamps, at the edges of forests and in gallery forests.
Mona Monkey is a graceful, thin monkey with long fore and hind limbs. The body length of an adult male reaches 63 centimeters, and the total female is 45. The body weight ranges from two and a half kilograms to 5.3. Like all monkeys, the mona has a long, but not flexible tail, which helps balance during jumps. But the monkey can’t grab the branches with its tail and hang on them.
Monkeys prefer to live on the tops of trees, and can eat on the lower and middle tiers of tree crowns. Mona is an insectivorous and herbivorous animal. The basis of her diet are nuts, fruits, seeds, young shoots. Whenever possible, the monkey consumes snails, wild honey, bird eggs, insects and all other animals. I must say that Mona eats more insects than other monkeys. An interesting fact is that she has cheek pouches, which she stuffs during feeding and then transfers the reserve with herself.
Mona Monkey is a very mobile daytime animal that swims quite well, while its tail serves as a helm for it. She is most active in the early morning or afternoon - closer to evening.
Mona Monkey Lifestyle
It moves through the trees very quickly, balancing with its tail. She runs along the branches and branches, reaches the thin part and jumps to another tree. Land on all limbs simultaneously. However, the jumps are not always successful, the monkeys fall off and fall into the water and onto the ground, but this does not harm them. Rising, they climb the nearest tree and continue the journey again.
Grooming is a kind of intimate communication between individuals, and not just a hygienic procedure. Monkeys clean each other's wool from insects and dirt. Monkeys have two sounds made by them when danger is approaching. One means the leopard is approaching, and the other announces a feathered predator. In case of danger, the mona freezes and remains motionless until the situation normalizes.
Monkeys live in groups of up to fifty individuals. As a rule, females with their relatives and one male are present in it. Under favorable conditions, small groups can unite into one larger one, if there is enough food and there is some benefit in such a partnership. But, as a rule, this is a temporary phenomenon. Almost all monkeys in the rainforest, including the Mona, give birth to one baby every few years. Very rarely there can be two cubs. About a year, the monkey feeds the offspring with milk, and then the grown up babies switch to solid food. In captivity, the monkey is able to survive to 23-26 years.
Species diversity of monkeys in the tropics
A highly organized primate (monkey) has interesting habits that vaguely resemble human behavior in something. Apparently not in vain yet they are united in one group.
As we have already said, tropical monkeys are quite diverse, there are so many of them in Africa that, unfortunately, it is impossible to tell in detail about all species in the framework of the article. Therefore, at least we list some of them:
- Baboons living almost throughout the African continent.
- Hussar monkey.
- The monkey is grimacing.
- Bail monkey.
- Vervetka
- Mulbrook.
- Monkey Diana.
- Big white monkey.
- Small white monkey.
- Blue
- Gold.
- Monkey Sykes.
- Crested.
- Red-bellied Monkey.
- Yellow-tailed.
- Bearded, etc.
And this is not the whole list. All of them are very interesting in their own way, have their own characteristics and habits. If we talk about monkeys in rainforests, it should be noted that there are many more different species that live not on Africa, but on other continents. The most famous of them are gibbons living in the mountains and tropical forests of Asia, orangutans (Kalimant and Sumatra islands), langur, nosach and many others.