10 interesting facts about monkeys

1. Some species of monkeys recognize themselves in a mirror. Scientists found out that lower monkeys, looking in the mirror, see another individual in front of them and try to intimidate it. But on the fourth or fifth day, human-like primates realize that they see themselves, and begin to look for parasites on themselves, looking in the mirror.
2. Humanoid monkeys use 89% of the gestures that children under two use to communicate with the world around them. Primates do not use only some swings and bending of the arm. The sign language of different types of monkeys coincides by 70-90%. Also, a chimpanzee can play “rock, scissors, paper” at the level of a four-year-old child.
3. Monkeys are loyal. There are many true stories that tell of Javanese macaques living with blind nomads and being their guides when traveling from city to city. When a person died, the monkey that led him remained near the body, refused food and died after a while.
4. The smallest monkey in the world is a dwarf toy (see photo below). This creature lives in the tropical forests of the Amazon basin. Its weight does not exceed 100 grams, and its body length is 15 cm, while its tail is 20 cm. The monkey has the unique ability to turn its head 180 degrees. This helps her to notice danger in time and hide high in the leaves of trees.
5. You can’t feed bananas to monkeys. The intestinal system of these primates is designed to digest coarse-fiber foods, while bananas contain almost no fiber, but are very high in fructose and starch. These fruits cause diabetes, obesity and tooth decay in monkeys. Monkeys raised in the wild refuse bananas.
6. Monkeys have bad human habits. There are facts in history when monkeys in zoos smoked and drank alcohol. But it led them to baldness, digestive disorders and nervous system. At the beginning of the 20th century, the orangutan Michelan fell ill with white fever in the zoological garden of Hamburg. He was sent to a hospital for alcoholics, where the primate recovered.
7. There is a Snow Monkey Park in Japan (see video below). Animals live high in the mountains, where there is always snow, but sometimes they descend to the level of thermal springs and bask in the hot water. The park is located near Nagano. Buses with tourists who want to see monkeys swimming are constantly going there.
8. American capuchin monkeys escape from mosquitoes with the help of centipedes. In South America, there is a giant scolopendra that produces compounds that repel insects. Monkeys use this property by rubbing their fur with it.
9. Males of some species of monkeys take an active part in the educational process of their babies. Although male primates mate with many females during their lifetime, some form monogamous pairs and raise their offspring. With this, they ensure higher survival of their offspring. In the event of the death of the parents, the closest relatives take care of the child.
10. Transfusion of blood from a monkey to a human is possible. The AB0 blood group system is common not only to humans but also to chimpanzees. But due to some differences in the structure of antigens, the immune system of people with the second and third groups will accept the primate’s blood as a foreign protein and begin rejection. However, for people with the first group, a transfusion from a chimpanzee is possible.

The dwarf toy is the smallest monkey in the world. Its weight does not exceed 100 grams, and its body length is only 15 cm.
_{Photo: Don Faulkner}

Park of snow monkeys. Japan

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