PRIMATES AT-A-GLANCE

The Primates At-a-Glance slideshows provide quick and easy glimpses into the physical diversity among nonhuman primate species as well as quick facts about where and how they live and, very importantly, their Conservation Status and what threatens them. To learn more details about any species that captures your interests, simply click on the graphic and a new window opens with the species’ full Primate Species Profile.

The dropdown menu above is listed by region of the world where primates naturally reside—Africa, Asia, and Latin America—and, within those regions, by biological order—apes, monkeys, and prosimians.

The nonhuman primates of Africa include great apes, monkeys, and prosimians.
The nonhuman primates of Asia include great and small apes, monkeys, and prosimians.
The nonhuman primates of Latin America include monkeys only.  

Most of the world’s primates live in tropical and equatorial rainforests, but there are quite a few exceptions. Some live on sharp rocky cliffs or in semi-arid deserts. Some live near water, like riverbanks, flood plains, and mangroves. Some live in remote and seasonally snowy mountains. Some live in cloud forests. And some live in and near human settlements, including cities. 

Some nonhuman primates species live their lives entirely in trees, some primarily in trees, 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.

Click on the main menu “Primates At-a-Glance” (above) to view the dropdown and get started.