At Monkey Haven: Oh boy, we’ve got our hands full with this lot! These cheeky macaques love larking around – you wouldn’t believe the fun that they can have with a plastic cup. And give them a towel – and they will happily play ‘ghosts’ for hours. One of the posse, Hobo, was found in a garden in Dorset. We don’t know much about his past – but he’s extremely adept at opening locks, so it makes you wonder… Spok’s another little character (the name refers to his pointy ears). Give him half a chance, and he’ll steal the keepers’ keys, walkie talkies, or phones. Oh yes… these monkeys are trouble!
The lowdown: These Old World monkeys are found in Algeria, Morocco and Gibraltar.
Diet: A tasty combo of plants and insects including spiders and scorpions.
Furry facts:
- In the wild, they live in troops of up to 100 – and the women are the boss.
- The males play an important role in child rearing.
- Young macaques open their mouth wide (like in the picture above) as a sign of playfulness.
- They have a special call which they use to warn others of predators
- In the wild, they’re hunted by dogs, eagles and leopards.
- Grooming is an important part of their culture.
- They live for up to 30 years.
- The species is under threat from logging and the illegal pet trade.
