Requirements:

Primates by Rae’s Creations

Flower- Do all starred.

Triangle – Do 7 requirements including starred.

Circle – Do 9 requirements including starred.

Rectangle – Do all requirements including starred.

1. *What do you call a scientist that studies monkeys? Find out about one female scientist and read an age appropriate book about her. Tell your family what you have learned.

2. *Did you know that a monkey is a primate? A primate is a group of animals that include humans, apes and monkeys. Monkeys are also mammals. There are around 264 monkey species in the world. Most of them live in trees except for a few who seem to prefer the ground. In general, monkeys are thought of as highly intelligent animals. Like humans, monkeys have fingers and their own set of fingerprints. They can grab objects with their toes and fingers and have the ability to use tools, learn new skills and show various signs of self-awareness. Some monkeys can even grab things with their tails. Name two famous monkeys and what they are famous for.

3. *There are a few characteristics that are shared by most species. There are New World Monkeys, which are found in South America. Brazil has more monkeys than any other country. Old World monkeys are found in Africa and Asia. New World monkeys have tails that can grasp and hold things. Most monkeys are arboreal. Name four species of Old World Monkeys and four species of New World Monkeys. What is the definition of arboreal?

4. *Monkeys have feelings, just like us. They can feel love, fear, and compassion. Monkeys hold hands and groom each other. They like to play and cuddle with each other. Monkeys are very loving to their babies and often carry their young on their backs or around their necks. They can also hate things too…beware and make sure to keep on their good side. How do we know this? Is there a special monkey that taught us about primate feelings?

5. *The feeding habits of Monkeys are very interesting. What they consume depends on the species. However, there are many common foods that all of them eat like seeds, flowers, eggs, fruits, leaves, nuts, and small insects, including spiders. They’ll pretty much eat anything that smells good, or bad… Monkeys work in groups when they’re on the hunt for food. There’s always a leader who gathers the food, while the other monkeys stand guard. Sometimes a leader will lie if he finds food he likes, he’ll warn the others that there’s danger and keep all of the food for himself. Prepare a chart showing what monkeys eat which types of foods.

6. *Many species of Monkeys have serious problems due to human causes. Their numbers have dropped so significantly in the past several decades that they are in serious danger of becoming extinct. The biggest threat to many Monkeys has to do with their natural habitat being destroyed. Their forests are being removed at an alarming rate by burning, in order to clear space for more agricultural growth for the villagers and cleared to make space for roads and businesses to come in. If you want to help the Monkeys you can. Find out about Monkey Conservation Projects and choose one type of endangered monkey and learn about it. Make a presentation to your group about the monkey you have chosen and what is being done to help them.

7. Monkeys are very social and friendly. They communicate with each other through a variety of sounds, facial expressions and body language. Monkeys are very vocal animals and that is their main way of communicating with each other. They give off different pitches to warn of danger, to call a mate, and even to communicate with their young. What social activities and characteristics are similar to that of our own? What are different?

8. Howler monkeys live in groups known as troops. In the troop, only one male monkey is known to howl in the morning. They can be loud, very loud! Sometimes you can hear the booming sound of monkeys from up to three miles away. Another monkey species is called a Spider monkey. Want to know why, because it has a really long tail and spidery limbs. Imagine a monkey looking like a spider! They can walk on two legs across the tree tops and their tail also helps them swing from limb to limb. What other species are named for their physical characteristics and why?

9. Apes are not a species of monkey.One main difference between apes and monkeys are that monkeys usually have tails and apes do not. Although monkeys are considered smart animals, apes are smarter than monkeys. What is a species of ape that is commonly known? What does this ape have in common with humans? What are the differences?

10. There are various types of predators out there that are known to feed on Monkeys. Many monkeys are very small and that makes them a great meal for some birds. There are various types of cats that live in the same places as the Monkeys. They can move around on land and in the trees with ease. These big cats are fast and they are excellent hunters. What are the major predators of monkeys in the wild and what preventative and evasive maneuvers do monkeys use to stay safe?

11. Take a trip to the zoo. See how many monkeys you can identify.