How Long Can Monkeys Live? A Complete Guide to Monkey Lifespan
Monkey is a general term - many animals in the order Primates are what we call monkeys, and they are the most highly evolved group in the animal kingdom. On July 10, 1988, a male white-throated capuchin named Bobo died at the age of 53, making it the oldest monkey in the world. Let's take a look below at how long monkeys can live!
How Long Can Monkeys Live?
The lifespan of a monkey is generally around 20 years. Legend has it that when God determined lifespans for all living things, humans were given 20 years, donkeys 50 years, dogs 25 years, and monkeys 20 years. But the donkeys, monkeys and dogs did not want such long lives, and each asked for only 10 years, 10 years and 15 years respectively. Only humans thought their lifespan was too short, so God gave humans all the years that the donkeys, dogs and monkeys had given up. As a result, humans can ultimately live to 80 years.
What Do Monkeys Eat?
Most monkeys are omnivorous, eating both plant-based and animal-based foods. Their food choices and feeding methods vary - for example, the aye-aye is skilled at digging out insects from tree holes or rock crevices. Orangutans have huge appetites and spend almost most of their active time foraging for food. The colobus monkey family has a special stomach structure, and most species eat plant-based foods rich in crude fiber. Different monkey species eat different foods, but mainly fruits, plant leaves, seeds, nuts, flowers, insects, spiders, animal eggs and small animals. Although most monkeys are herbivores, baboons will occasionally eat meat, and when given the chance, they will even steal the young of chimpanzees or other animals to eat.
Can Monkeys Be Kept as Pets?
1. For wild animals, ordinary people are not qualified to keep them in captivity. A license must be applied for from the relevant authorities.
2. Monkeys belong to the primate order, and deadly pathogens can be transmitted between them and humans.
3. Unlike cats and dogs, which have been domesticated by humans over thousands of years and become gentle and suitable for keeping at home, monkeys are inherently wild animals. Keeping one at home is irresponsible for the safety of family members and a severe violation of the monkey's own nature.
4. Unlike cats and dogs, which can live well as long as they have their owner's attention and care, monkeys need a normal wild environment, food and space. A home environment is simply not suitable for monkeys. Take the recently popular Japanese macaque as an example. It is said that a normal Japanese macaque lives in a group of 40 companions, moves around in a 3.7 sq km forest, and walks an average of 1-2 km per day. They have complex social networks, with brothers and sisters as well as close companions and confidants. They spend 10-15% of their time each day grooming each other - grooming is not only for cleaning the body surface, but also a means of social bonding. None of this can be provided by any family. When we dress monkeys in clothes we like and give them drinks like cola that we have prepared, we are not really loving the monkey, but hypocritically turning it into a plaything in our hands.
5. To put it more practically, for ordinary cats and dogs, licensed pet hospitals have a mature range of medical care such as cleaning, vaccination, immunization and deworming, as well as disease monitoring and treatment methods, and there are also various pet supplies, cleaning products and pet foods available. However, because monkeys are not legally permitted domestic pets, it is very difficult to find supplies, food and medical care for monkeys in pet stores and pet hospitals. Once a problem arises, you have no way to ensure the monkey receives timely medical treatment.