What Do Monkeys Eat?
Posted In: Mammals.
Monkeys are mammals and they have a diet that will depend on where they are living in the world. Some are jungle dwellers while others live closer to human habitation. Each species may have different nutritional needs. For example Geoffroy’s marmoset will have a diet different from a rhesus macaque. It can also depend on the classification of which part of the world that they are in. Right now, two different classifications exist: Old World and New World monkeys. The Old World monkeys are closer to primates than New World monkeys, so their diet will be different.
A Colobus monkey eating greens. Photo by .
Wild monkeys
Wild monkeys are generally omnivores and will eat a variety of food. They eat fruits, leaves, nuts, flowers, honey, seeds, spiders, bird’s egg, gums, small amphibians and sometimes other monkeys and small mammals. Insects and small lizards are also a part of their diet in the wild. Sometimes they will eat blossoms and leafy things to supplement their diet. Ants and termites are a favorite snack of monkeys. Baboons are known to eat meat and will prey on small antelopes, rabbits and birds like the guinea fowl. Colobus and langur monkeys loves to chew on leaves as they have chambered stomachs that carry bacteria, which help ferment and digest their leafy diet. Geladas, on the other hand, prefer to feed on grass.
Goeldi’s monkey eating butterfly. Photo by Alexandre Buisse.
Tame monkeys
A tame monkey on the other hand will eat a bit different of a diet. Those in captivity will have a diet of commercially available monkey biscuits. This food can be supplemented with vegetables and fruits making a well rounded diet for those that are kept as pets.
Wild monkeys and humans
When it comes to food and humans, those living near human habitation can steal what they want to eat. They will eat fruits and vegetables, as well as other items such as tree leaves and flowers. There have been many clashes between monkeys and humans as their habitat shrinks due to human encroachment.
Tame monkeys and humans
Captive or tame monkeys still have the same dietary needs as stated above. They are dependent on their human keepers to keep them fed. They too eat insects and bugs, as well as vegetables and fruits. Some monkeys, like chimpanzees, can eat other monkeys, especially in the wild. Taking care of a tame or captive monkey requires that you know about the dietary habits of the species that is being taken care of.
