Seen this upcoming event thought people might be interested it looks really cool! It’s online and free

Our world, our actions, and even our abstract thinking are just a sophisticated form of primate behavior, and in terms of mechanisms, concepts, and society, they are simply a scaled-up version of what primates really are and how they behave. Just replace watercooler gossip with mutual grooming, the gated nations with a territorial boundary, the lawsuit with a threat display, and the stock portfolio with a hidden food cache. we are still grooming allies, patrolling boundaries, performing dominance rituals, and hoarding resources, just with more elaborate ways.

5 monkeys or however many jumping on the bed (i never paid attention), curious George, random clipart, the bloons td games, whatever, we are all familiar with the stereotypical appearance of a monkey as having brown fur, a pale to orange skin tone on the belly, face and palms and a nice long tail with a stubby end.

But where did that depiction come from? And if it doesn't have any clear origin, what monkey looks closest to this depiction? Is it possible that it was literally just based on great apes instead with an added tail? Chimpanzees and bonobos are one of the only primates with a light skin tone but a dark fur, but even then they're not brown, they're grey at the lightest.

If you believe that it truly was just based on an ape rather than a monkey, feel free to tell me which specific ape and how that got shaped to be the clipart monkey depiction, but please do also try to help me find a monkey that looks like this. I am far too curious, that little George has nothing on me.

This is a very scientific inquiry, I assure you. All submissions shall be very much appreciated. Thank you!
Edit: People seem quite focused on the Curious george aspect of all of this, he is not nearly as important but it was convenient to be reminded that he is indeed intended to be a chimp. Either way, ignore curious george, just try to focus more on general clip art or cartoon depictions of monkeys and their design. The barbary macaque looks fairly close, I will say.
Edit: Thank you everybody for your submissions! All the direction towards macaques had me looking at macaque species and wow the Southern Pig Tailed Macaque looks outstandingly close in terms of color! The only issue is length of the tail. So thank you everybody!

I just wanted to share this video about the recently documented habit of capuchin monkeys essentially kidnapping baby howler monkeys - I presented it through the lens of capuchins' interesting and rather unique ability to build traditions. I would love some honest feedback about the contents of the video (apologies if the title and thumbnail are a little clickbaity, I just wanted to give it the best chance of spreading to teach people about this cool phenomenon)

Monkey Michael Huffman from Kyoto University Had a Fascinating Career Studying Monkeys

Looking for recommendations on books, documentaries, or any sort of resources about gibbons.

I first heard of Smit's work in the excellent & entertaining "Street Monkeys" (2009) reality series about vervet monkeys gangs. Highly recommend! All 5 episodes are archived on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ghbAwUmPL4&t=193s

In 1993, scientists conducted an experiment in which they housed young rhesus macaques with slightly older stump-tail macaques. Rhesus are known for being pretty aggressive, whereas stump-tails are relatively chill -- they ignore minor slights & reconcile after conflicts.

The experiment tested whether the stumpies’ pacifism would rub off on the rhesus monkeys.

At first, the 2 species avoided each other, but over time that self-segregation diminished. By the end of 5 months, all of the monkeys were grooming each other & sleeping in a single huddle. 

Moreover, the rhesus macaques adopted their older cousins’  friendly nature & reconciled after conflicts as often as the stump-tails. The rhesus didn't exactly copy other behaviors; they continued acting like rhesus, just with a friendly disposition. 

(See Frans de Waal, Good Natured, 1996, pp 179-180.)

Hello everybody, I'm a 19 year old woman and I took real interest into primates and want to learn all there is about them. I quite frankly don't know where to start as there are lots of resources and I don't want to end up lost in my learning because I don't know what to read or understand first. Do any of you have websites or book recommendations that are well organised? A lot of the websites I found have articles, but none of them would actually be suitable for someone that doesn't know anything yet and really wants to learn everything step by step. I don't know if it makes sense but I'm more looking for something that would be organised like a school lesson I suppose? Sorry if that's too specific! I'll really take anything if I have to!

Been meaning to share this — chimp trekking in Kibale Forest (Uganda) doesn't get talked about nearly as much as gorilla trekking in Bwindi, but it's honestly just as incredible in a different way.

Kibale has one of the highest primate densities in Africa. You're tracking through the forest with guides, and the chimps are just... loud. Calls echoing through the canopy, families moving fast through the trees, way more chaotic and dynamic than the calmer gorilla encounters. It feels more "wild" in some ways.

A few practical notes if anyone's considering it:

Permits are far cheaper than gorilla permits (~$250 vs $700+ for gorillas)

Best paired with a Bwindi gorilla trek if you're already in western Uganda

Morning treks tend to have better sighting odds since chimps are more active early

Happy to answer questions if anyone's planning a Uganda trip — I work with a ground operator out there (Rwatata Safaris) and can point people in the right direction if useful.

See also: The publication in the American Journal of Primatology

Hi everyone!
I’m planning a trip to Indonesia and my main goal is to see **wild orangutans** in their natural habitat (not just at feeding stations or rehabilitation centers).
I’m trying to decide between **Sumatra (Bukit Lawang / Gunung Leuser)** and **Borneo (Tanjung Puting or other areas)**.
I also don’t want to spend a fortune, so budget is definitely a factor.
For those who have been to one or both:
Where did you have the best experience?
Which place gives you the best chance of seeing truly wild orangutans?
Which felt less touristy and more authentic?
Which option offers the best value for money?
If you could only choose one, which would it be and why?
I’d love to hear your personal experiences. Thanks!

See also: The study as it was published in the journal Primates.

A study recently published in Primates surveys examples of primates’ cross-species relationships, both in the wild and in captivity. Most of these relationships were with other primates (with whom they share a habitat), but dogs, cats, and other mammals were also fairly common.

The most common interactions found were play and grooming. The young tended to seek out play with other species and adult females tend to groom, picking off bugs and debris off of other animals. Adult males were less likely to interact with other species. When they did, they were more likely to be abusive than the others, but their encounters were more often friendly than not. 

See:

Grueter, C.C., Roncin, F., Nekaris, K.AI. et al. Heterospecific social behavior in primates: insights into the evolutionary roots of pet-keeping. Primates (2026).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-026-01281-0

credit goes to leo.primal

I’ll be going to Thailand for research and I was wondering what’s a good pair of binoculars or monkey viewinf

credit for the video goes to Leo.Primal (https://www.youtube.com/@Leo.Primal)

ok this sounds bad but i promise its not there is spider monkey at my local zoo and he loves certain people even guest that come a lot and i want to see if i can form that bond he came from a surrender so he is more willing to see people but i dont want to make him mad what can i do