From the mustachioed mammal named after a German Emperor to the wide-eyed primates with
a 360 degree view of their environment, today we look at the Strangest Monkeys On Earth.
Number 12. Black Crested Macaque Often mistaken for an ape, the Black Crested
Macaque is actually an Old World monkey native to the Indonesian isle of Sulawesi . This
jet-black furred primate is known for its hairless, drooping face and expressive features,
as well as sporting a small, typically 1-inch vestigial tail stub. This species of macaque
has an average lifespan of 20 years in the wild, growing up to 2 feet long and weighing
as much as 23 pounds when fully grown. They primarily survive on a diet of fruits, along
with seeds, fungus, eggs, insects, and occasionally lizards or frogs.
Number 11. Golden Langur With golden yellow hairs exploding outward
from a small black face, this lithe monkey is among the most unique-looking in the world.
Called the Golden Langur, this creature is an Old World monkey that can be found in western
Assam, India and the nearby foothills of Bhutan's Black Mountains. This species of monkey is
known to reach lengths of up to 2 feet, and can weigh around 18 pounds as an adult. Current
population estimates place the total number of Golden Langurs to be currently less than
6 thousand, with 4 thousand residing in Bhutan and the rest being found in India. Authorities
in the region are hard at work in attempting to preserve these herbivorous monkeys by planting
food sources in their native habitats to prevent them from engaging with humans.
Number 10. Emperor Tamarin While many species are named after the scientists
that discovered them or specific features unique to them, this monkey allegedly got
its name from a famous historical doppelganger. Named after the last German Emperor and King
of Prussia, Wilhelm the Second, the Emperor Tamarin , like their royal twin, is known
for its prominent mustache. Socially playful and gracefully active, the Emperor Tamarin
has been known to interact with humans easily, almost resembling pet dogs in their need for
affection and tenderness from their caretakers. Despite this detail, these tamarins can be
very protective in the wild and utilize long, high vocalized calls to warn each other of
impending hazards.
Number 9. Red-Shanked Douc [duke] Vibrant and tree-dwelling, the Red-Shanked
Douc [duke] of Asian nations like Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam is an Old World monkey that will
spend most of its life among the canopy. They are diurnal , meaning they tend to be active
in the daylight, when they will forage for high fiber leaves and fruit. Though not especially
large, Red-Shanked Doucs [dukes] have a big stomach proportionally, where they will break
down cellulose through fermentation, resulting in a pot-bellied appearance as well as excessive
gas. They attain most of their nutrients, including protein and hydration, from their
dietary choices, though they will seldom venture to the jungle floor to retrieve water or dirt
for minerals if necessary.
Number 8. Hamadryas Baboon Worshipped by the ancient Egyptians as a sacred
creature, the Hamadryas Baboon finds its home in this region of the world populating the
Horn of Africa and the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. These baboons will eat
everything from blossoms and wild roots to reptiles and small mammals. These creatures
form multilevel societies to increase their chance of survival, with harems of up to 10
females gathering around one dominant male. From there, harems will join up to form clans
based on the closeness of the leading males. Clans will then merge to create a band, which
at this point can contain up to 400 individuals. In some cases, clans will then unify to form
a troop, and the resulting group will blanket entire cliff sides with their members, allowing
them to rest without worry of predators.
Number 7. White-faced Saki This new world monkey is a master of swinging
from branch to branch, but when it comes time to forage, they're no stranger to scouring
the forest floor. The White-Faced Saki makes its home in South America, living in countries
like Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. Here it will split its time from the tree tops and
the earth below, preferring to sleep 15 to 20 meters off the ground while turning to
the ground for sanctuary from flying predators and weather hazards. But they're not entirely
safe here either as anacondas, jaguars, ocelots and boas all hunt the White-faced Saki indiscriminately.
The large, white-furred faces of males earned this species their name, while females typically
feature white or light brown stripes of fur around their face instead. Though they have
many predators, this primate has a current conservation status of "Least Concern".
Number 6. Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey Hiding among the forested mountains of southwestern
China are the endangered Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys. This species is notable for its white-to-orange
or golden fur and their almost skeletal looking snub-nosed faces. Though small in stature
at just over two feet long maximum, and weighing up to 36 pounds, they are especially equipped
to handle the harsh weather of its snowy home. In fact, the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey can
withstand colder temperatures than any other non-human primate! Unlike many of its relatives
on this list, this creature doesn't eat other animals and instead dines on vegetarian options
that will alter with the seasons. During summer months, this monkey will eat most leaves until
the fall when they switch to fruits and seeds, and finally subsisting primarily on lichens
to get through the long winter. Wolves, large cats, and birds of prey are the main threats
to the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, along with habitat loss as this endangered species is
thought to have dwindled down to a population of somewhere between 8,000 and 15,000 individuals
to date.
Number 5. De Brazza's Monkey The De Brazza's Monkey is a creature of many
monikers. Named for the French-Italian explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, this species is
known locally as the swamp monkey for its habitat of preference. Scientifically speaking,
though, its species name "neglectus" which means "to pay no attention to" derives from
their tendency to successfully hide from humans and predators alike. But their exceptional
appearance, primarily the white, beard-like tufts extending from their face, has also
caused the name "Ayatollah Monkey" to catch on due to their resemblance of Iranian revolutionary
Ayatollah Khomeini . Ranging from 2 and a half to 3 feet long, and weighing just 6 to
7 pounds on average, these small primates survive on fruits for the most part, but will
eat seeds and insects when times get tough. These orange-crested critters can be found
throughout the swamps of Central African nations like Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda,
Congo, and others.
Number 4. Mandrill Now considered the world's largest monkey,
the Mandrill was actually once classified as a baboon before receiving its own genus.
In popular culture, this species has been familiarized to modern society through the
classic Lion King character of Rafiki , with Disney portraying the Mandrill as wise and
mysterious. Rather than a solitary fountain of sage advice, though, this species of monkey
can be very aggressive and in some cases predatory. Already relatively large in stature at an
average height of 30 to 37 inches for males and typically weighing over 70 pounds, these
primates also host massive canines up to two and a half inches long. These allow the Mandrill
to make precise incisions into the nape of the neck of prey such as rodents, porcupines,
or even small antelope. For the most part, though, these red-and-blue faced animals subsist
on fruits, vegetation, bark, mushrooms, and even soil.
Number 3. Bald Uakari Adorned with a bulbous, crimson head, these
monkeys stick out among the verdant várzea forests of the Western Amazon. The Bald Uakari
is covered in hair from its tail to its neck, measuring 17 to 18 inches in length on average
with a tail typically 6 inches or shorter. Its vibrant red face comes from the various
capillaries that run under its facial tissue and the monkey's lack of skin pigment. Bald
Uakaris have powerful lower jaws that allow them to break into the hard outer surface
of nuts and unripe fruits that other animals can't access, an important feature given 67
percent of their diet comes from seeds. As they only make their home among the flooded
forests of South America, this species is especially susceptible to human interference.
With much of the Amazon experiencing deforestation in the last 4 decades, the Bald Uakaris have
felt the effects directly, with a 30 percent decrease in population earning them the label
of being a vulnerable species by the World Conservation Union.
Number 2. Tarsier Spread across the Asian islands of Malaysia,
Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines, these wide-eyed creatures are unique among primates.
With long, spindly digits, smooth, slender tails, and eyeballs as big, if not bigger
than their brain, these tree-clinging monkeys are in a league of their own. But what gives
the bug-eyed beasts their name is actually their extremely long hind limbs resulting
from the elongated tarsus bones in their feet. Relatively small, Tarsiers can grow to be
between 3 and 15 inches long, depending on the species, but their legs are usually twice
as long as the rest of their body! Their heads can also swivel 180 degrees in both directions,
giving them a 360 degree view of the world around them. Don't be distracted by their
special traits and velvety fur, though, as they are also the only entirely carnivorous
primate alive today, preying on beetles, spiders, and grasshoppers, along with bats, birds,
and reptiles.
Number 1. Proboscis Monkey These reddish-brown primates are endemic to
the Asian island of Borneo and are an endangered species with the majority of their global
population residing within national parks. Named for their large, fleshy nose, the Proboscis
Monkey is majorly a vegetarian, subsisting on a diet of fruits and leaves. The 30-inch-long,
50-pound heavy monkey survives through travelling vigilantly through its native forests, avoiding
predators like monitor lizards and clouded leopards. However their greatest threat comes
from habitat loss, as more than 50 percent of the population has vanished in the past
four decades due to the combined hazards of hunting, logging, and oil palm plantations.