Discovering Primates
Discovering Primates
A video journey into the world of primates, their habitats, their lifestyles, and more.
A collection of youth-friendly videos for understanding primates, primate conservation, and how everyone can help.
PRIMATES: Who, What, Where, Why, How, and When?
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In a world of 6,700 mammals, how can you know which ones are primates? It’s easy!
All primates share characteristics that define them as primates. Because primates are so complex, there are exceptions to every rule!
Find out where in the world primates live and how they got there.
WHY do primates matter? And why is protecting them vital to the health of our planet? Discover why protecting primates means protecting life itself.
Wondering what you can do to help primates specifically and wildlife in general? Find out here!
A guide to understanding Conservation Statuses. Conservation Statuses are the “codes” that tell us about the health of species and their habitats based upon the many threats that they face. They give us a glimpse into the stability of the Earth’s biodiversity. More than 47,000 species are threatened with extinction, including 64% of primate species. Conservation Status categories help us to understand how and why they are at risk. They also help us to understand that there is hope for most species if we all take action, even in small ways, and if we start today.
Want to check out the lesson associated with this video? Find it here: The Alphabet Soup of Conservation
In a world where every species has a story — where every forest, savanna, wetland and mountain holds secrets of resilience — we are reminded that protecting nature is not an optional luxury, but an absolute necessity.
This video delves into the hidden strategies, astonishing adaptations and deep interconnections that enable life on Earth to persist. From the smallest insect surviving in a harsh micro-environment to the towering giants of the wild defending their place in the cycle of life — it’s all part of the great tapestry of survival.
But these stories are under threat. Habitat destruction, climate disruption, species loss: the warnings are serious, and the stakes are high.
Join us as we travel through nature’s classroom, learning lessons that apply not just to the wild, but to our shared future. Because when we protect nature, we protect ourselves — our health, our communities, our planet’s ability to sustain life.
🌿 Watch. Reflect. Act. Because when life on Earth thrives, we all win.
LEARN MORE! ↓
APES: Great and Small
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Africa’s apes are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, sharing over 98% of our DNA. Find out what’s special and unique about our great ape cousins. Start with an overview of some of the characteristics that Africa’s apes share in common. Then learn more about each of Africa’s three apes—bonobos, chimpanzees, and gorillas—from how they live to their conservation statuses. Find out how like us they are and, at the same time, how we are different. Discover that protecting them and their habitats is tantamount to protecting ourselves. Find out why.
Sometimes referred to as “lesser apes,” gibbons are small acrobatic apes that dwell high in the canopy of tropical and subtropical rainforests across East, South, and Southeast Asia. Known for their extraordinary agility and grace, and their complex songs, these primates are crucial to reforesting their ecosystems.
Orangutans of Borneo and Sumatra are masters of the trees and symbols of rainforest life. With most of their habitat lost and populations slow to recover, they’re now critically endangered — but with protection, there’s still hope for their future.
What’s the difference between apes and monkeys? They are all primates, but monkeys and apes are not the same. This video offers the “nutshell” version of the key differences between them.
MONKEYS
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Graceful, colorful, and endlessly adaptable—Africa’s monkeys are living portraits of diversity. From the forest canopy to open savannas, nearly a hundred species thrive across the continent. Each tells a story of evolution through color, movement, and behavior. Discover how their physical traits reveal a world of adaptation and intelligence. Enjoy a closer look at how Africa’s monkeys embody the beauty, balance, and complexity of life in one of the world’s most extraordinary regions.
Colobus monkeys are tree-dwelling, leaf-eating monkeys native to eastern, central, and western Africa, comprising twenty-four species in three genera. Mother Nature graced them with very specific and unique physical, behavioral, and lifestyle characteristics that benefit them and their ecosystems. Learn more here: https://neprimateconservancy.org/colobus-monkeys/
Geladas, also known as “bleeding-heart monkeys” for their striking red chest patches, are large, terrestrial, baboon-like primates found only in the Ethiopian highland. With distinct physical and behavioral characteristics, such as their unique grass-eating lifestyle, these remarkable primates form complex societies governed by communication, cooperation, and subtle social bonds. In this video, find out who they are! Learn more: neprimateconservancy.org/gelada/.
Baboons are large, clever, mostly ground-dwelling monkeys who live in sizeable, complex troops with intricate social lives. Frequently maligned and underappreciated. Six beautiful baboon species grace Africa’s savannas and woodlands. Learn more: neprimateconservancy.org/baboons/.
Two kinds of monkeys live in Asia. Macaques and Leaf Monkeys. Asia’s colobine monkeys—also called leaf monkeys—include about 55 species such as langurs, lutungs, and surilis. They are slim, long-tailed monkeys that mostly eat leaves, using their special multi-chambered stomachs to digest tough plant food. Many live high in the trees, though some, like gray langurs, also thrive on the ground and even in cities. Sadly, most species are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
Two kinds of monkeys live in Asia. Macaques and Leaf Monkeys. Meet the macaques. Yes, they’ll steal your lunch, your hat, and your glasses, but they’ll also barter with you to return the non-food items for choice food items. They observe humans and understand our priorities. They are incredibly intelligent! They are perhaps the most maligned monkey species. Why? Because they are clever and adaptable? What’s special about macaques? They are almost as adaptable as humans to a wide variety of climates and living conditions. They are magnificent, diverse, and gravely underappreciated. Here’s an overview of “Macaques—in a nutshell.”
Latin America is home to some of the most diverse and fascinating primates on Earth. From the misty cloud forests of the Andes to the sprawling Amazon rainforest, these monkeys live in a wide range of habitats—tropical rainforests, dry forests, mangroves, savannas, and even mountain woodlands.
Some of Latin America’s monkeys have physical adaptations that distinguish them from any other monkeys in the world. The family of monkeys referred to as Atelidae have traits that any superhero would envy. So, who are these remarkable monkeys? What are their distinguishing features? How do these adaptations function? What makes them truly exceptional? Discover the answers here…in a nutshell.
From hook-fingered spider monkeys to clawed marmosets, the hands of Latin America’s monkeys reveal extraordinary evolutionary adaptations. This video explores how their unique grips—whether built for strength, precision, or speed—help them thrive in the canopy and, in turn, shape the very forests they call home.
Did you know some monkeys use nature as their own pharmacy? From rubbing citrus and millipedes into their coats to drinking clay and eating bitter leaves, Latin America’s primates have mastered incredible self-care techniques. Watch how capuchins, titi monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and howler monkeys protect their health, repel insects, soothe digestion, and even pass these life-saving habits to the next generation.
PROSIMIANS
Lemurs—the prosimian primates of Madagascar and found nowhere else in the world. More than 110 lemur species inhabit this one island nation through a wide variety of ecosystems. With 98% of lemurs threatened with extinction, they are the world’s most endangered primate group.
Galagos, pottos, and angwantibos are the prosimians of mainland Africa. Not nearly as well-known or charismatic as the better-known lemurs of Madagascar, they are unique! For example: Why do pottos and angwantibos NOT have index fingers?! And what the heck is an angwantibo? What about the nightly adventures of galagos? What are they up to? All nocturnal, these small primates and their unusual lifestyles will surely surprise you. Find out about them here!
Tarsiers are among the world’s most unusual animals! They are surely the most unique primates. Small, nocturnal, arboreal, mostly solitary, and the only fully carnivorous primates. They consume every part of their prey, including feet and bones. They can turn their heads 180° on each side and they can hunt in darkness by hearing their prey. They are perfect predators. Watch the video to learn about tarsiers…in a nutshell.
Meet the loris—small, secretive, and full of surprises. With giant eyes, a powerful grip, and even a venomous bite, these nocturnal primates reveal the hidden wonders of the night.
Copyright ©New England Primate Conservancy 2025