With about 200 species, monkeys' lifestyles are very diverse. Some are arboreal and live in trees, while others are terrestrial and stay close to the ground. All monkeys use their hands and feet, and some arboreal monkeys also use their tails to help hang onto tree branches. Generally, they are very social and intelligent animals and have complex communication styles that include vocalizations, facial expressions and body movements. They use grooming as a way to make peace, show affection and maintain good social relationships within their troops.

Monkeys mainly eat foliage, nuts, fruits, berries and insects, with larger monkeys hunting small birds and mammals.

Monkeys have a life span that ranges from 10 to 30 years. The gestation period is from four to eight months depending on the species, and the age of maturity ranges from 18 months to eight years. At birth, monkeys are helpless and cling to their mothers while traveling, spending the rest of their time playing and honing their social skills.

The biggest threat to monkeys is habitat loss, and some are hunted for body parts.

Monkeys can be found in Africa, southern Asia, Japan, India and Central and South America.