Photographs selected by Quentin Nardi

Often found high in the treetops of forests in Asia, Africa and South America, monkeys can be difficult to spot. They’re quick and frequently small, seeming to effortlessly hop from branch to branch in the canopies of jungles. They have common characteristics, usually including tails that help distinguish them from some other primates, but with more than 250 recognized species, they’re a diverse group. Just take a look.

A trio of golden snub-nosed monkeys
A trio of golden snub-nosed monkeys, a first-class protected animal in China, is photographed in Shaanxi, huddled together in the snow to keep warm. Minqiang Lu, China, 2020
stay high in trees
Monkeys normally prefer to stay high in trees to avoid predators and harvest foods from branches. Tianyi Xiong, China, 2021

A pair of squirrel monkeys
A pair of squirrel monkeys roam the rainforest on the Osa Peninsula. Robin Canfield, Costa Rica, 2022
red-faced snow monkeys
Not exactly camouflaged, these red-faced snow monkeys stick out like sore thumbs against a rocky, wintry backdrop. Takahiro Gamou, Japan, 2022
An iconic animal of Ethiopia's Simien Mountains
An iconic animal of Ethiopia's Simien Mountains, the gelada monkey protects itself from leopards by staying on tiny ledges on impossibly steep cliffs of canyons during the night. Turgay Uzer, Ethiopia, 2023

wild juvenile gelada monkey huddle
A wild juvenile gelada monkey huddles with others on one particularly damp and foggy morning in the highlands. Bing Lin, Ethiopia, 2018
A monkey soars
Who needs wings? A monkey soars through the air carrying precious cargo in its arms. Graeme Guy, Malaysia, 2020
dark fur and pale skin.
Phayre’s leaf monkeys are known for their dark fur and pale skin. Nafis Ameen, Bangladesh, 2022

A monkey on a mountaintop
A monkey on a mountaintop opens wide to reveal its rather large canine teeth. Swe Tun, Myanmar, 2024
silvered leaf monkey
On a river in Borneo, this silvered leaf monkey snacks on leaves. Apurba Das, Malaysia, 2024
Proboscis monkeys
Proboscis monkeys stand out for what some describe as its large nose. They may or may not agree with that assessment. Bernhard Schubert, Malaysia, 2019
orange fur
The babies in some leaf monkey species have orange fur. Within groups of this species, not only does a baby’s mother care for the young monkey, but other females do, too. Bernhard Schubert, Malaysia, 2017
A Japanese macaque
A Japanese macaque, also known as a snow monkey, seemingly takes a moment to meditate. Manaska Mukhopadhyay, Japan, 2024
purplish-blue hue
Most howler monkeys, like this one with its purplish-blue hue, are found in the upper reaches of the forest canopy. Hans Wagemaker, Brazil, 2024

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Tracy Scott Forson is a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.