Monkeys are one of the coolest animal species that come in various shapes, colors, and sizes. They are omnivorous and can eat both plants and meat. They have been seen eating fruits, seeds, nuts, and flowers. However, they also feed on lizards, spiders, insects, and birds. We will discuss the cutest monkeys in the world.
Monkeys are very social animals and they like to stay in groups. These groups of monkeys are known as troops, cartloads, missions, or tribes, and all the monkeys in the group work to protect each other and take care of the young monkeys. There are two types of monkeys in the world, one is those who live in the Amazon rainforest and the other is those known as Old World monkeys which live in Africa and Asia. Here is the list of 26 cutest monkeys in the world,
Cutest Monkeys
1. Common Marmosets
The common Marmoset is one of the cutest monkeys in the world that comes with large white ear tufts, and alternating dark and pale bonds on its tail. The name of the monkey species is derieved from the French “marmouset” which means shrimp or dwarf. It can grow in length between 14 to 19cm and its average weight is between 300 to 500g. It is also known as White-tufted-ear Marmoset or Cotton-eared Marmoset and is popular for its white blaze on the forehead and white ear tufts.
Also Read: A List Of 15+ Cutest Animals In The World
2. Capuchin Monkeys
Capuchin monkeys are New World types of monkeys that belong to the subfamily Cebinae. They are mostly seen in the regions of tropical forests in Central America, South America, and to the south of northern Argentina. They are known as white-faced monkeys in Central America and love to thrive on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Panama and the deciduous dry forest on the Pacific coast.
These cutest monkeys are seen in many movies and television shows as well. These monkeys feed on plant parts such as leaves, flower and fruit, seeds, pith, woody tissue, sugarcane, bulb, and exudates, as well as arthropods, mollusks, a variety of vertebrates, and even primates.
3. Golden Lion Tamarins
Golden Lion Tamarins monkeys scientifically known as Leontopithecus rosalia is a small New World monkeys that belong to the family Callitrichidae. These beautiful orange animals are also known as the golden marmoset and are native to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil. The monkey is an endangered species and as of now, 3,200 individuals are left in the wild.
Talking about its appearance, these monkeys have a bright reddish orange pelage and extra long hairs around the face and ears. The front of the monkey is dark and hairless. The dietary habit is omnivorous and it feeds on fruits, insects, and small invertebrates. The avarage lifespan of monkey species is between 10 to 12 years in the wild and upto 20 years in captivity.
4. Vervet Monkeys
Vervet Monkeys belong to the group of Old World monkeys and as of now five subspecies of vervet monkeys are known to humans that can be seen in East Africa. These monkey species are widely used in scientific and medical studies. It can reach upto 18 to 26 inches in length and the average weight is between 7 to 17 pounds. It is one of the amazing animals that starts with V.
Talking about their appearance, they are covered with dark green or silvery-gray fur along with black faces framed with white hairs. The feet, hands, and tip are black colored. The monkey species is active during the day and spends its entire life on trees. The avarage lifespan of vervet monkeys is 12 years in the wild and up to 24 years in captivity.
5. Howler Monkeys
Howler Monkeys are the loudest monkeys in the world and they call to let other monkeys know about thier territory. The monkey’s whooping bark or roar sound is usually produced during the morning and at the end of the day. It is scientifically known as Alouatta and can grow between 22 to 36 inches with a tail length between 23 to 36 inches. The average weight of a howler monkey is between 15 to 22 pounds. The avarage lifespan of a monkey is between 15 to 20 years in the wild. These monkeys are mostly seen in Central and South America. It is also listed as one of the animals with long tails.
6. Macaques
Macaques monkeys belong to the old group of monkeys and with the subfamily Cercopithecinae. As of now, 23 species of macaques are known to humans mostly seen in the regions of Asia, North Africa, and (in one instance) Gibraltar. The dietary habits of these monkeys are frugivorous and they feed on seeds, leaves, flowers, and tree bark, however, some species of Macaques are occasionally seen eating invertebrates and occasionally small vertebrates. The avarage lifespan of Macaques is between 20 to 27 years in the wild and upto 40 years in captivity.
7. Dusky Leaf Monkeys
Dusky Leaf Monkeys scientifically known as Trachypithecus obscurus mostly seen in Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. It is also known as the spectacled langur or spectacled leaf monkey, which belongs to the family Cercopithecidae. It can grow between 42 to 61 cm and the average weight is between 5 to 9 kg. The avarage lifespan of dusky leaf monkeys is upto 25 years in the wild.
8. White-faced Saki Monkeys
White-faced saki is one of the cutest monkeys in the world scientifically known as Pithecia pithecia and is a species of the New World saki monkey. It is also known as Guianan saki or the golden-faced saki mostly seen in the regions of Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. They like to feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, and insects. The avarage lifespan of white-faced saki monkeys is upto 14 years in their natural habitat and upto 36 years in captivity. These monkey species are active during the day and love to sleep on highly elevated (15-20m) trees.
9. Emperor Tamarins
The emperor tamarin scientifically known as Saguinus imperator is a species of tamarin and looks very similar to the German emperor Wilhelm II. These monkey species were mostly seen in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas along with the regions of Peru and northern Bolivia.
Talking about their appearance, these species are grey colored along with yellowish speckles on their chest. The hands and feet of the monkey species are brown and the tail is brown. It can grow between 23 to 26 centimeters and its avarage wieght is 500 grams. The avarage lifespan of emperor tamarins is between 10 to 20 years in the wild.
10. Squirrel Monkeys
Squirrel monkeys are one of the cutest monkeys that belong to the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri and subfamily Saimirinae. These forest animals live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. As of now, there are two main groups of squirrel monkeys recognized differentiated by the shape of the white coloration above the eyes. It is also listed as one of the smallest monkeys in the world.
The tail of monkeys is not prehensile which means they cannot use it to grab things and they are diurnal means they sleep at night and are most active during the day. The avarage lifespan of squirrel monkeys is upto 25 years in the wild.
11. Silvery Marmosets
The Silvery marmoset scientifically known as Mico argentatus belongs to the New World monkey mostly seen in the eastern Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. The monkey species lives in groups of between 4 to 11 individuals and mostly feeds on fruit, tree sap, and small animals. The avarage lifespan of silvery marmosets is upto 16 years in the wild. It can grow between 18 to 28 cm and the average weight is between 300 to 400 gms. The monkey species can be easily recognized with the help of pointed jaws.
12. Guenons
Guenon is also one of the cutest monkeys in the world that belongs to the family Cercopithecidae. These monkey species are best known for thier color patterns such as hip stripes, browbands, or a white nose spot or band. The avarage lifespan of Guenon monkeys is upto 16 years in the wild. Guenons make a variety of sounds and communicate with the help of several gestures and facial expressions. These small to medium-sized monkeys are widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
13. Red-Shanked Doucs
The red-shanked douc scientifically known as Pygathrix nemaeus belong to the group of Old World monkey and the subfamily Colobinae. These monkey species are endemic to Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Red-shanked Doucs can be easily identified with the help of their bright colors and exhibit sexual dimorphism through their body size.
These monkey species are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because of hunting, habitat loss, and pet trade. The avarage lifespan of red-shanked doucs monkeys is upto 25 years in captivity. It can grow between 54.5 to 61 cm and the average weight is between 8 to 11 kg. These are also some of the most colorful monkeys among all species of primates and are also considered as “Queen of primates” because of their unique appearance.
Also Read: Top 10 Endangered Animals In The World 2022
14. Spider Monkeys
Spider Monkeys are scientifically known as Ateles known for their long, thin arms that look like hooklike hands that allow them to move through the trees. The average lifespan of spider monkeys is 22 years in the wild. It can grow between 14 to 26 inches and its avarage wieght is between 13.25 pounds. Spider Monkeys is one of the ugly monkeys that primarily feed on fruits, but will also occasionally consume leaves, flowers, and insects. These monkey species are very social and want to live in groups of 35 individuals, but will split up to forage during the day.
15. Cotton-top Tamarins
Cotton-top tamarins are classified into three types of cotton-top tamarins differentiated by their facial features. They can leap upto 10 feet in the air from tree to tree. The monkey species prey on fruits, insects, and rodents. The natural predators of cotton-top tamarins are snakes, birds of prey, and jaguars. It can grow between 18cm to 30cm and the average weight is between 220g to 900g. The avarage lifespan of cotton-top tamarins is between 8 to 15 years in the wild.
16. Pygmy Marmosets
Pygmy Marmosets are two species of small New World monkeys and prefer to live in the Amazon region of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and northern Bolivia. These small eared animals are the world’s smallest primates with a body length ranging between 117 to 152 mm and an avarage body wieght is just upto 100 gms. Also, listed as one of the animals with small eyes, they have a special diet of tree gum and they also lie in wait for insects, especially butterflies, which are attracted to the sap holes. The supplemented diet is nectar and fruit. The avarage lifespan of pygmy marmosets is upto 12 years old in the wild and up to 18 years in captivity.
Image Source: Wikimedia
17. Zanzibar Red Colobus
The Zanzibar Red Colobus is a species of red colobus monkey endemic to Unguja (The main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago) situated off the coast of Tanzania. It is also named Kirk’s red colobus after Sir John Kirk who is the British Resident of Zanzibar and the first member who brought it to the attention of zoological science. The body ranges between 45 to 70 cm in length and the average wieght is between 10 to 12 kg. The dietary habits are herbivores in nature and primarily feed on leaves, however, they are also seen feeding on leaf shoots, seeds, flowers, and unripe fruit.
Image Source: Wikimedia
18. Tarsiers
Tarsiersn is one of the cutest animals in the world where the eye weighs more than the whole brain. They have an unusually long anklebone that helps them jump more than 40 times their body length. The bones of tarsiers are known as Tarsals and from here itself he has recited his name. The animal species is also unique geographically because of its distribution across Wallace’s Line which runs between Borneo and Sulawesi and separates the evolutionary centers of the animals found in Eurasia and Australia. The average lifespan of tarsiers is between 12 to 20 years in the wild.
19. Mandrills
Mandrills is also one of the cutest monkeys that are native to west-central Africa. It is also one of the animals with big lips in the world that can be seen throughout equatorial Africa, including southwestern Cameroon, western Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and southwestern Congo. The dietary habits are omnivorous and feed on both plant and animal origin such as fruits, seeds, fungi, and roots, supplementing this diet with insects, snails, worms, frogs, lizards as well as occasional snakes and small vertebrates. The body ranges between 55 to 95 cm and the average weight is between 10 to 37 kgs—the avarage lifespan of mandrills is between 25 to 40 years in the wild. It is also listed as one of the monkeys with red faces.
20. Black-Headed Spider Monkey
The black-headed spider monkey is one of the cutest monkeys that belong to Central and South America. The body ranges between 39 to 53.8 cm and the average weight is between 8.8 to 8.9 kg. The avarage lifespan of black-headed spider monkeys is upto 24 years. The dietary habits are herbivores in nature where they primarily feed on ripe fruits and leaves, supplementing their usual diet with occasional nuts, seeds, insects, and eggs.
Image Source: Wikimedia
21. Japanese Macaque
The Japanese Macaque known as the snow monkey native to Japan. The body ranges between 57 to 52.3 cm and the average weight is between 8 to 11 kg. The avarage lifespan of the Japanese Macaque is between 6.3 to 32 years. The dietary habits are omnivores in nature and primarily feed on smaller animals and plants, mainly fruits, berries, seeds, flowers, and young leaves. It is also seen eating insects, crabs, and bird eggs during the winter months.
22. Golden snub-nosed monkey
The golden snub-nosed monkey range stretches throughout western-central China, namely, in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Hubei, and Shaanxi. These monkeys are highly social, and hence, during the summer season, they gather in large groups compared to the winter season, where they are found in small numbers. The primary diet of golden-snub-nosed monkeys includes bamboo shoots, leaves, buds, and fruits. The average lifespan of a golden snub-nosed monkey is up to 25 years in the wild.
23. Gibbons
Gibbon is a small ape closely related to the gorilla, chimpanzee, orangutan, and bonobo. As of now, 15 subspecies of gibbons have been identified across Southeast Asia (China, India, Burma, the Malayan Peninsula, and Borneo). These small and lightweight apes can reach up to 17 to 25 inches in length, and their weight is between 9 and 29 pounds. The dietary jatbit is omnivorous in nature and feeds on seed, shoots, flowers, and insects. The average lifespan of gibbon is up to 25 years in the wild.
24. Night Monkey
The Night Monkey is a nocturnal primate native to Central and South America. These monkey species are monogamous and live in small family groups of 2–6 individuals, similar to those of other aotus species. It is also known as owl monkeys or douroucoulis and can be identified with the help of large eyes, which improve their vision at night, and ears that are almost hidden. These species are endangered by habitat loss, the pet trade, hunting for bushmeat, and biomedical research.
Image Source: Wikimedia
25. Titi Monkey
The titi monkey is one of the cutest monkeys in the world and is found across the Amazon River basin, in forests and swamps along river and lake shores, and in the lower tree canopy. The vocalisations of these species are also more complex than those made by most other monkeys. They are fruit-eating species but occasionally feed on leaves, seeds, and some insects. Both male and female species look the same and are chestnut brown with a grey, non-prehensile tail and black face.
Image Source: Wikimedia
26. Talapoin Monkey
Talapoin monkeys are found in regions across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Talking about their appearance, they have a large head, which gives them the look of young animals. The colour of the fur ranges from yellowish to grey to olive green, along ith a wwhite belly. The beard is yellow, and she has a small grey nose. In the forest, they are seen in large groups of up to 60 or sometimes more than 100 individuals. It is also known as the squirrel monkeys of Africa because they are about the same size as squirrel monkeys and have a similar group structure.
Image Source: Linda De
These are the 26 cutest monkeys in the world. Kindly share and post your comments.
