Primates

Lemurs make up the infraorder Lemuriformes and are members of a group of primates known as strepsirrhines. The term "lemur" is derived from the Latin word lemures, meaning "spirits of the night" or "ghosts". Lemurs are primates endemic to the island of Madagascar and smaller surrounding islands, such as the Comoros, where they were likely introduced by humans. Molecular genetics indicates that they reached Madagascar after it broke away from mainland Africa, possibly by "rafting" across the ocean on large clumps of vegetation.. Most lemurs are listed as endangered or threatened species. Many species have gone extinct in the last centuries, mainly due to habitat destruction (deforestation) and hunting.

Gray Slender Loris is a species of primate in the Loridae family. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. Its natural habitats are confined to tropical dry forests and tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. Adult lorises range in size from 21 to 38 cm, depending on the species, and weigh up to 2 kilograms. The tail is a mere stump, whereas the forelimbs and hindlimbs are of roughly equal length. Their thick fur is mostly grey-reddish. Like all lorises they slow, nocturnal and arboreal animals that prefer the tops of the trees. They are known to produce a toxin behind their elbows and use it to deter predators. Slender lorises are opportunistic carnivores, eating insects, lizards, bird eggs, and small vertebrates. However they will also eat fruits and leaves.

Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil. The disproportionately long limbs and long prehensile tail makes them one of the largest New World monkeys and gives rise to their common name. The diet of spider monkeys consists of about 90% fruits and nuts.

Most feeding happens from dawn to 10 am. Afterward, the adults rest while the young play. Through the rest of the day they may feed infrequently until around 10 pm. If food is low they may eat insects, bark or rotting forest, and honey.

Spider monkeys are among the largest New World monkeys; They may attain an average weight of 10 kg for males and 9 kg for females. Their prehensile tails, which can be 3ft long, have very flexible, hairless tips and skin grooves similar to fingerprints.

The capuchins are the group of New World monkeys classified as genus Cebus. The range of the capuchin monkeys includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina. Cebus is the only genus in subfamily Cebinae.

Capuchins generally resemble the friars of their namesake. Their body, arms, legs, and tail are all darkly (black or brown) colored, while the face, throat, and chest are white colored, and their heads have a black cap. Like most New World monkeys, capuchins are diurnal and arboreal. Capuchins live together in groups of 10 to 35 members

The Purple-faced Langur, or Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, is a species of Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka.

This is a long-tailed arboreal species, mainly brown with a dark facemask and paler lower face. The loud barking call, particularly of the highland form, can be mistaken for the roar of a predator such as a Leopard.

This was once a common species, which was found even in suburban Colombo and in the wet zone villages, but rapid urbanization has taken a toll on the numbers of these monkeys.

It is said to be very selective in its herbivorous diet, and its range has contracted greatly in the face of human encroachment, although it can still be seen in Sinharaja, Kitulgala, in the mountains at Horton Plains National Park or in the rainforest city of Galle.

Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae. Gibbons occur in tropical and subtropical rainforests from northeast India to Indonesia and north to southern China, including the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java.

Also called the lesser apes, gibbons differ from great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans) in being smaller. Gibbons use a well developed swinging motion called: brachiation, swinging from branch to branch at great speeds. They can also make great leaps across tree tops, and walk bipedally with their arms raised for balance. They are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, non-flying mammals.

Gibbons are social animals. They are strongly territorial, and defend their boundaries with vigorous visual and vocal displays. The vocal element, which can often be heard for distances of up to 1 km, consists of a duet between a mated pair, their young sometimes joining in.

The orangutans are a species of great apes. Known for their intelligence, they live in trees and are the largest living arboreal animal. They have longer arms than other great apes. Their hair is reddish-brown, however a new black-haired subspecies was recently discovered on Borneo by primatologist Birute Galdikas. Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, they are currently found only in rainforests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending nearly all of their time in the trees. Every night they fashion sleeping nests from leafy branches. They are more solitary than other apes; males and females generally come together only to mate. Females can grow to around 4ft and weigh around 100 lbs, while flanged adult males can reach 5ft in height and weigh over 260 lbs.

Chimpanzee, (also known as a chimp), is the common name for the two extant species of ape which are found near the Congo river in central Africa.

Common Chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes: the better known chimpanzee lives primarily in West and Central Africa.

Bonobo, Pan paniscus: also known as the "Pygmy Chimpanzee",is found in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Chimpanzees are members of the Hominidae family, along with gorillas, humans, and orangutans. Chimpanzees make tools and use them to acquire foods and for social displays; they have sophisticated hunting strategies requiring cooperation, influence and rank; They are also fully aware of themselves and display future planning capabilities.