Strangest pets

Monkey, one of a large group of furred animals whose feet are used much like hands. Nearly all monkeys have tails. Monkeys are mammals, and zoologists classify them in the same suborder and order as humans and the great apes. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South merica, sia, and frica. Most monkeys live in the warm lowlands, but some kinds are found on the cool slopes of mountains. They usually live in trees, but some kinds are ground dwellers. Monkeys are furred animals whose feet are used much like hands. The different kinds of monkeys vary a great deal in appearance. monkey!s fur is seldom all one color, but usually has markings in two or more colors. "ur colors include white, gray, black, red, gold, brown, and olive green. monkey!s face may be covered with short fur, or may be naked, with black, pink, gray, or brown skin. The face may be surrounded by a ruff of long fur, or there may be a beard. #ften hands, feet, top of head, and tip of tail contrast in color with the rest of the body. Monkeys vary also in size. The smallest monkeys are the pygmy marmosets of South merica, whose bodies are only about si$ inches %&' cm( long, e$clusive of a seven)inch %&*)cm( tail. +argest are the baboons in frica. large male baboon may have a body more than two feet %,cm( long, e$clusive of tail, and may weigh up to &,' pounds %.' kg(. /n their wild state, baboons and many other monkeys are aggressive and dangerous to humans. 0owever, most monkeys can be tamed, if captured young. few kinds, such as the capuchin, or sapa1ou, of Central and South merica, and the rhesus of frica, are highly intelligent, and make amusing, affectionate pets. Monkeys are often used in scientific research because of their similarity to humans in anatomy and physiological processes. The blood plasma of the rhesus is used to determine the presence of the 2h factor in human blood. %The name of the substance was formed from the first letters of rhesus.(.

Monkeys usually travel and feed in large groups. The howler monkey of South merica lives in clans made up of several related families. 0owever, some monkeys stay in family groups consisting of an adult male, one or more adult females, and their offspring of various ages. 3ach family may have its own territory, which it defends from other families. Most kinds of monkeys have only one offspring at a birth. Most monkeys eat insects, birds, birds! eggs, leaves, shoots, fruit, and grain. Some kinds eat small mammals and lizards. few species, such as the crab)eating monkey of southeastern sia, eat shellfish. 4ith one e$ception, monkeys feed during the day. The owl monkey, or douroucouli, of South merica, is the only monkey that sleeps by day and hunts its food at night.