Monkeys are smart, sociable and emotional creatures. They feed mostly on a mixture of leaves, flowers, small insects and animals as well as bird eggs. Very few are able to fight their predators physically and rely on their intelligence to outsmart and defy unknown intruders. Most love to swing high in the branches if they are tree monkeys or jump over obstacles on land.
Vietnam has the largest population of endangered monkeys and there are so many different sub-species that are at the status of being critically endangered! Most endangered monkeys live in Vietnam and the majority are Langurs, leaf-eating monkeys, such as the Delacour's Langur (Trachypithescus delcouri) and the Golden-Headed Langur (Trachypithescus poliocephalus).
Other parts of the world are also habitats to endangered monkeys, such as the Squirrel Monkey (Samiri sciureus) in Central America, the South American Marmosets (Callimico goeldii) and a highly endangered monkey called the Proboscis Monkey (Nasalis larvatus) who can only survive on an island called Borneo, which is shared by three countries, Malasia, Indonesia and Brunei.
New species of monkeys are rarely found, and when they are their numbers are so incredibly low that they are automatically considered endangered. Many monkeys are illegally traded and sold everyday as pets, even though they are unable to reproduce and survive without living in their natural habitats.
further information:
Proboscis Monkey Project
Read about squirrel monkeys
Endangered Primate Rescue Center
