The monkey, which is a completely intelligent creature, is not as understood as it should be, especially by humans, who are so close to the species, at least, scientifically speaking. Recently, PPcorn released an article describing just some of the many ways monkeys are unique and special. Today, we will continue our list.
Number Eight: They Don’t Swing. We realize the implications of this sort of statement, but that is now what we are talking about at all. Monkeys, different from apes, do not swing from branch to branch with their arms unless they absolutely have to. Normally, they just run across branches instead.
Number Seven: Some Are Monogamous. In our society, we praise and put monogamy on a pedestal. In nature, however, this usually doesn’t occur. One exception is the South American Titi monkey, which becomes distressed when it’s far away from its partners. They are extremely affectionate and display their love through lip smacking, holding hands, grooming, and more.
Number Six: They Change Color. The silver-leafed variant of this animal group wonderfully changes color, a rare occurrence in mammals. Of course, this occurs over time in contrast to some reptiles, which can camouflage at any time. When they are born, they are a bright orange. Through time, they become gray. Fascinating!
Number Five: They Peel. Similar to humans, monkeys don’t eat the peels of bananas. Instead, they take the skins off before diving in this delicious fruit. This makes the most sense to me, but, of course, I’m a human. Have you ever purposefully tasted a banana peel?
Number Four: They Hate Being Touched. Monkeys are aggressive creatures who are often very temperamental. If you have the gumption to try to touch a monkey, be warned: it will most likely end in violence. Show love to our primate cousins by waving from afar in order to avoid pain and injury.
Number Three: There Are Specialists. Monkeys of all kinds eat many different kinds of fruits, but some specialize in some foods and will not eat others. Specialist monkeys are those that only eat leaves.
Number Two: Some Store Their Food for Later. A good number of monkeys contain food pouches, which is, interestingly enough, quite similar to hamsters. In essence, these animals stuff their faces with food, which goes to the food pouches in their cheeks. When they’re hungry later, they eat it. Humans have food pouches too, but they’re known as refrigerators.
Number One: They Occasionally Dine on Dirt. Most creatures of this earth get their nutrients by consuming plants and animals. Although monkeys do not differ in this way, some also satiate themselves by eating dirt. Dirt is the host for all life, containing many vitamins and minerals, so despite the fact that this may sound weird to us, it actually is quite efficient.