Primates
Primates - an animal order including lemurs, tarsiers, monkeys, apes and human beings. In the ape family there are chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. The difference between apes and monkeys is that apes don’t have tails and are a lot bigger. Monkeys have tails that help them to climb and are lighter and nimbler so they can jump from tree to tree.
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A Woolly Monkey Baby
(Details from the Looe Monkey Sanctuary)
Youngsters
The
woolly monkey babies stay with the mother for about two years and often suckle right up until
the moment the next baby is born, although they start trying solid food after
one month. The mother will never consciously 'give' food to her baby, they must
learn for themselves what is good to eat by trying bits of food their mother
drops.
After about two years, the youngsters are old and independent enough for the mother to have her next baby. They never lose the close relationship with their mothers. The females will spend time watching their mother giving birth and bringing up their baby brothers or sisters, learning the role of motherhood. The males will spend more time with the adult males, gaining strength and agility, learning how to police and protect the group.
Tails
The most striking adaptation to the life in the tree tops is their prehensile tail, which acts as a powerful fifth limb. It helps the monkeys to balance, secures them from falling as it grips firmly around branches and is easily capable of supporting the monkeys' full weight, freeing the hands and feet for other uses such as collecting food.