MONKEYS OF ASIA

AT-A-GLANCE

Asian monkeys include leaf monkeys, macaques, proboscis monkeys, and snub-nosed monkeys.
The tails of Old World monkeys are never prehensile. Their thumbs are opposable. Their nostrils are close together and tend to point downward.  They have 32 teeth. Many have cheek-pouches to hold food. Many have thick pads on their buttocks for comfort when sitting on hard surfaces. Old world monkeys are more closely related to apes, and therefore to humans, than they are to New World monkeys. 
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Black-Crested Sumatran Langur
Capped Langur
Cat Ba Langur
Delacour's Langur
Dusky Langur
Black-shanked douc langur
Gray-Shanked Douc Langur
Red-Shanked Douc Langur
Black-Footed Gray Langur
Kashmir Gray Langur
Nepal Gray Langur
Northern Plains Gray Langur
Tarai Gray Langur
Tufted Gray Langur
Francois Langur
Gee's Golden Langur
Hatinh Langur
Hose's Langur
Indochinese Silvered Langur
Javan Surili
Maroon Leaf Monkey
Natuna Island Surili
Nilgiri Langur
Pig-tailed Snub-nosed langur
Popa Langur
Phayre's Leaf Monkey
Purple-Faced Langur
Raffles' Banded Langur
Robinson's Banded Langur
Siberut Langur
Silvery Lutung
Spangled Ebony Langur
Thomas's Leaf Monkey
West Javan Ebony Langur
White-Headed Black Langur
White-Thighed Surili
Arunachal Macaque
Assam Macaque
Bonnet Macaque
Booted Macaque
Crested Black Macaque
Formosan Rock Macaque
Gorontalo Macaque
Heck's Macaque
Japanese Macaque
Lion-Tailed Macaque
Long-Tailed Macaque
Moor Macaque
Northern Pig-Tailed Macaque
Pagai Island Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
Siberut Macaque
Southern Pig-Tailed Macaque
Stump-Tailed Macaque
Tibetan Macaque
Tonkean Macaque
Toque Macaque
White-Cheeked Macaque
Proboscis Monkey
Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey
Gray Snub-Nosed Monkey
Myanmar Snub-Nosed Monkey
Tonkin Snub-Nosed Monkey
Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkey
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Black-Crested Sumatran Langur
Capped Langur
Cat Ba Langur
Delacour's Langur
Dusky Langur
Black-shanked douc langur
Gray-Shanked Douc Langur
Red-Shanked Douc Langur
Black-Footed Gray Langur
Kashmir Gray Langur
Nepal Gray Langur
Northern Plains Gray Langur
Tarai Gray Langur
Tufted Gray Langur
Francois Langur
Gee's Golden Langur
Hatinh Langur
Hose's Langur
Indochinese Silvered Langur
Javan Surili
Maroon Leaf Monkey
Natuna Island Surili
Nilgiri Langur
Pig-tailed Snub-nosed langur
Popa Langur
Phayre's Leaf Monkey
Purple-Faced Langur
Raffles' Banded Langur
Robinson's Banded Langur
Siberut Langur
Silvery Lutung
Spangled Ebony Langur
Thomas's Leaf Monkey
West Javan Ebony Langur
White-Headed Black Langur
White-Thighed Surili
Arunachal Macaque
Assam Macaque
Bonnet Macaque
Booted Macaque
Crested Black Macaque
Formosan Rock Macaque
Gorontalo Macaque
Heck's Macaque
Japanese Macaque
Lion-Tailed Macaque
Long-Tailed Macaque
Moor Macaque
Northern Pig-Tailed Macaque
Pagai Island Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
Siberut Macaque
Southern Pig-Tailed Macaque
Stump-Tailed Macaque
Tibetan Macaque
Tonkean Macaque
Toque Macaque
White-Cheeked Macaque
Proboscis Monkey
Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey
Gray Snub-Nosed Monkey
Myanmar Snub-Nosed Monkey
Tonkin Snub-Nosed Monkey
Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkey
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While viewing the slideshow, click on any photo for the full species profile

ABOUT ASIAN PRIMATES

Asia’s primates are found primarily in southern Asia, with a few species living as far north as Japan and northern China. Most Asian nonhuman primates live in tropical habitats. Some monkeys live in human settlements, including cities. Some live in the remote chilly mountains of China and Japan.

Among Asia’s nonhuman primate species, some live solely in trees, some primarily in trees, some along river and mangrove banks, and some live on the ground. Most are active in daytime, but some are nocturnal. 

Living at varying heights, whether in trees or on the ground, and dispersing activities between day and nighttime, more evenly distributes access to resources and reduces competition. This is one of the ways that nature ensures that everyone has access to all of the gifts of the Earth.

Worldwide geographic distribution of nonhuman primates