There are over 300 monkey species in the world, living in Africa, South and Central America and Asia. Although they vary hugely in size and colour, all are ‘higher primates’, with a larger brain than many other animals. This superior brainpower allows them to make the greatest use of their environment and to establish complex social structures.
All monkey species fall into one of two groups – new world monkeys and old world monkeys. New world monkeys include spider monkeys, tamarins, and howler monkeys, all species found living high in rainforest canopies. Spider monkeys live in groups of up to 100 individuals, but howler monkeys and tamarins form much smaller groups. All are predominantly herbivore, but will also eat insects and small lizards.
Old world monkeys are found in many different climates, from tropical forests, to deserts, to icy wastes. This group includes the colobus monkey and vervet monkeys (the latter being notorious as ‘pests’ at campsites and lodges). Both species usually live in groups of 11-15 individuals, though larger troops of vervet monkeys have been found. Vervets are predominantly herbivore, though also fond of birds’ eggs, lizards and insects, while colobus monkeys have developed specially enlarged stomachs, which allow them to eat great quantities of the leaves which form their staple diet.