

Published in the United States by Xist Publishing

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PO Box 61593 Irvine, CA 92602

© 2013 Text by Victoria Marcos

All images licensed from Fotolia

All rights reserved

No portion of this book may be reproduced without

express permission of the publisher

All images licensed from Fotolia

First Edition

eISBN: 978-1-62395-519-9

ePIB ISBN: 978-1-62395-520-5

My favorite animals are monkeys.

Would you like to learn about them?

Monkeys are primates but they are different from humans and apes. There are about 260 known living species of monkey.

Monkeys are classified by where they live

into two groups:

Old World monkeys and New World monkeys.

New World monkeys are found in Mexico and Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are found in Africa, Central to southern Asia, Japan, and India.

Monkeys range in size from the Pygmy Marmoset, at 5–6 inches (140 to 160 millimetres) long plus the tail and 4-5 ounces (120 to 140 grams) in weight, to the male Mandrill, 3 feet long ( almost 1 meter) and weighing 77 pounds (35 kilograms).

Can You Figure It Out?

Which one is not a monkey?

Check and see if you're right at the end of this book!

Unlike apes, monkeys usually have tails.

Some characteristics are shared among the groups; most New World monkeys have prehensile tails (tails that grab) while Old World monkeys have non-prehensile tails or no visible tail at all.

Many monkeys live in trees, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons.

Monkeys have flexible arms and legs for grasping and climbing.

But guess what?

Monkeys can't swing on branches. Their shoulders don't twist in a way that allows for swinging.

Only humans and apes can swing through branches (or monkey bars).

Monkeys eat lots of different things. Diets differ among the various species but may contain any of the following: fruit, leaves, seeds, nuts, flowers, eggs and small animals (including insects and spiders).

Monkeys communicate with hand gestures, facial expressions, and noises called vocalizations.

Vocalizations can be quite complex and are often used to warn other monkeys of predators. Mother monkeys can even tell the vocalizations of their own infants from other babies.

Do You Remember?

What are three things monkeys like to eat?

Check and see if you're right at the end of this book!

A group of monkeys may be called a troop or tribe.

Some monkeys stay with their mothers and spend their entire lives in the same troop. For other species, the babies will join other troops when they mature.

Some monkeys will carry their babies all day long.

Babies hang on to their mothers backs and can even fall asleep while still holding tight.

Most baby monkeys drink milk for between six and fifteen months. They will nurse many times per day.

Do You Remember?

What is a group on monkeys called?

Check and see if you're right at the end of this book!

My favorite thing about monkeys is that there are so much like human beings.

Monkeys can be trained to help humans and have even been used in space exploration.

What's your favorite thing about monkeys?
Glossary

Diet: Type of food eaten.

Gestures: A type of non-verbal communication in which bodily actions communicate certain messages.

Herbivorous: Animal whose diet is made up mostly of plants.

Muzzle: The snout of an animal.

Non-verbal communication: The sending and receiving visual signs.

Omnivorous: Animal that eats plants and animals.

Prehensile: Used for grabbing

Savannah: Like open woodlands but with shorter trees and more spread apart.

Species: A category or classification of an animal.

Vocalizations: Sounds made by vocal cords that are used to communicate.
Did You Remember?

Answers:

Question #1:

B is a Gorilla. Gorillas are apes, not monkeys.

Question #2:

Monkeys like to eat plants, fruits, insects and even small animals

Question #3:

A group of monkeys can be called a troop or a tribe.

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