Frequently, the term monkey is used generically to encompass a group of primate animals that range from small individuals, such as capuchin monkeys, to large and intelligent gorillas, with whom we humans share a 98% of our genes, being the closest species to us, after the chimpanzee.
The different groups of monkeys, in addition to presenting different characteristics, have different types of habits both in their behavior and in relation to food. In this article on our site we want to present information on this last aspect, so that you know what monkeys eat
Are monkeys omnivores, herbivores, or carnivores?
Almost all monkeys are omnivores, although there are some minority groups of herbivorous monkeys, so there are no exclusively carnivorous monkeys. So do monkeys eat meat? Some yes, but they do not occupy the entire diet.
As we have mentioned, the term monkey is in general use, in addition to not having taxonomic application, its use is applied to designate various animals that are found in different groups. Thus, they belong to the primate order and the anthropoidea suborder, which is divided into two infraorders: platyrrini and catharrini. Each infraorder is composed of superfamilies, families, and subfamilies. In this sense, the primates belonging to the families Cebidae (of the Platyrrini infraorder), Hylobatidae (of the Catharrini infraorder) and the Cercopithecines group (also of the Catharrini infraorder) are omnivores. For their part, the colobus (infraorder catharrini) are herbivores.
Regardless of the group to which they belong, these animals, although they may have a preference for a particular food, generally have a varied diet.
Meet the different types of monkeys that exist in this other article.
Feeding the monkeys
Each group of monkeys feeds in a specific way, since in general this will have to do with their particular habits and the type of ecosystem in which they develop, which will finally define the kind of food they will consume.
Next, we will learn what monkeys eat depending on the family they belong to:
Family Cebidae
This group corresponds to the platyrrhines, which are the new world monkeys, commonly known as capuchin monkeys, owl monkeys, squirrel monkeys and marmoset monkeys, among others.
Your eating habits are made up of:
- Fruits (mainly)
- Nectar
- Flowers
- Walnuts
- Sheets
- Mushrooms
- Bird Eggs
- Insects
- Mice
- Bats
- Small reptiles
- Amphibians
- Birds
- Squirrels
- Coatie Hatchlings
Family Cercopithecidae
This family includes the catharrini and are the monkeys of the old world, such as baboons, macaques and colobus. The two subfamilies that comprise the group (cercopithecinae and colobinae) have totally different feeding habits. Cercopithecines are omnivorous and include in their diet:
- Insects
- Estate
- Tubers
- Sheets
- Mushrooms
- Worms
- Rodents
- Hares
- Eggs
- Birds
For their part, colobines feed mainly on leaves and seeds, but to a lesser extent they also consume fruits, flowers and lichens.
Family Hylobatidae
These small, long-armed, tree-dwelling hominoids comprise all of those commonly called gibbons. Their diet is made up of:
- Ripe fruits
- Sheets
- Sprouts
- Flowers
- Invertebrates (only 10% of the diet)
Family Pongidae
Within this family we find orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees, so that the largest species of monkeys are located. Although they all belong to the same family, if we ask ourselves what these monkeys eat, we should know that they follow different diets. Orangutans consume:
- Fruits
- Sheets
- Stems
- Insects
- Bird Eggs
- Fish (possibly)
- Mineral-rich soils
- Medicinal plants
On the other hand, gorillas mainly eat fruits, leaves and shoots, but in a reduced way they may eventually consume some insects.
Regarding chimpanzees, they have a varied diet, including:
- Fruits
- Sheets
- Branches
- Walnuts
- Insects
- Eggs
- Larvae
- Invertebrates
- Carrion
However, it has been confirmed that they also practice cannibalism, hunting chimpanzees from other groups. These animals are capable of using tools (sticks, stones) to remove insects and larvae from holes or crack open nuts.
What do captive monkeys eat?
Monkeys, for a long time, have been one of the main animals that have been kept captive in zoos and circuses, although to a lesser extent they are also kept as pets, in addition to those used for the purpose of scientific experimentation. However, monkeys are wild animals that should not be kept in captivity for any reason, as these actions cause them great suffering. The exception is when an injured animal is rescued that must be treated to return it to its natural habitat or when it is possible to rescue those monkeys used for illegal animal trafficking, zoos, etc., that in many cases a reintegration into the environment is not possible.. In this article we talk more in depth about this topic: "Can you have a monkey as a pet?".
When the monkeys are in captivity, they are forced to modify their diets, since they are strictly dependent on what they are fed, therefore, they end up consuming sweets, processed food for pets and fruits, although in many cases the fruits provided are not enough to cover their nutritional needs. In this sense, it is very common for monkeys in captivity to be malnourished and with important deficiencies of vitamins and minerals that end up causing them diseases.
We must remember that animals such as chimpanzees and gorillas share almost all of their genetic information with humans, so they require a nutritionally appropriate diet to be he althy. There are not a few species of primates that are in danger of extinction, mainly due to the alteration of their habitats and the intense hunting to which they are subjected. Although there are various initiatives to contain the pressure that puts these animals at risk, many more efforts are still needed for the results to be more effective.
If you have found a monkey that is injured, abandoned or in poor condition and needs help, it is best to take it to a wildlife recovery centerso that they can treat him correctly and assess whether it is possible to set him free when he is well. If it is complete, in the same center they will recommend the best care and will tell you what the monkeys of the species to which it belongs eat so that you can offer a diet as similar as possible to that which it would follow in the wild.
