Where Do Monkeys Live

A monkey is an animal that is part of the primate family. They typically have a long tail and prehensile feet. There are many different species of monkeys in the world. Some are small and agile; some are larger and more cumbersome. It is important to note that monkeys are broken into two different classifications: New World Monkeys and Old World Monkeys. The two different groups live in different parts of the world and have different habitats. Many other factors such as size, diet and habitat availability also affect where monkeys live.
Which Countries Do Monkeys Live In?
The group of monkeys classified as the New World Monkeys that includes monkeys such as the Spider, Red Howler, Squirrel, Saki, Saddle back Tamar in, Lion Tamar in, Owl, Marmoset, Titi, and Ukaris are native to Central and South America. You are not likely to find these monkeys outside of these countries unless they are in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary.
Old World Monkeys are found on the continents of Africa and Asia including Madagascar. The monkeys that are part of this classification include the Japanese Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Gelada, Hamadryas Baboon, Hanuman Langur, Red Colobus, Black Colobus, Patas and Savannah Baboon. These monkeys are generally larger than their new world counterparts.
What Type Of Habitats Do Monkeys Live In?
New World Monkeys have a prehensile tail which can be used like a hand to grasp and hang onto branches. These monkeys are arboreal and spend their lives in trees. They use their extra limb to help them balance as they run along branches and jump from tree to tree. They tend to have small body sizes and live in groups.
Old World Monkeys have more of a varied habitat with some living in trees while other live mainly on the ground. These monkeys are not exclusively arboreal and will live either in the tree of on the ground depending on size and habitat availability. Old World Monkeys do not usually have a prehensile tail but can still move about in the trees quite well. Larger species such as the baboon, Macaques and Mandrills are terrestrial animals and spend their entire lives on the ground.
Most monkeys prefer to live in areas of rain forest where trees, food and water are all readily available. However, there are monkeys that live in mountainous regions as well as species that live on the hot dry Savannah's. Monkeys can be found in almost any environment except wetlands or swamp area.