Monkey breeding is the practice of
mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of either opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for the purposes of sexual reproduction. ''Fertilization'' is the fusion of two gametes. '' Copulation'' is the union of the sex organs of two sexually repr ...
monkeys
Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...
in captivity with the intent to maintain or produce young. Monkeys reproduce without human interference, so their offsprings' characteristics are determined by
natural selection
Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype. It is a key mechanism of evolution, the change in the Heredity, heritable traits characteristic of a population over generation ...
. Captive bred monkeys may be intentionally bred by their owners. A person who intentionally mates monkeys to produce babies is referred to as a monkey breeder.
Breeding outside of
zoos
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility where animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoology, ...
is typically done for commercial gain.
History
Monkeys have been bred in captivity for hundreds of years. Initially used for
circus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
and street performance, their trainers would breed stock to maintain the correct temperament.
Breeding also occurred in European zoos from the 18th century when monkeys were returned from sea voyages and the public took interest in them.
Recently large scale commercial breeders have been established. They are typically located in the United States where is there is a growing demand for monkey pets. The cost of breeding is quite high and thus only selected breeders do it in volume.
Types of monkeys that can breed
Not all species are suited for breeding in captivity. The following is a list known to reproduce well in zoos and in private breeder facilities.
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Rhesus
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Pigtails
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Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
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Snow macaque
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Guenons
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Patas
The common patas monkey (''Erythrocebus patas''), also known as the hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa.
Taxonomy
There is some confusion surrounding if there are v ...
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Spiders
Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species di ...
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Capuchins
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Squirrels
Squirrels are members of the family (biology), family Sciuridae (), a family that includes small or medium-sized rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and ...
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Marmosets
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Baboons
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Chimps
See also
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Animal breeding
Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation (using best linear unbiased prediction and other methods) of the genetic value (estimated breeding value, EBV) of livestock. Selecting for breeding animals with superior ...
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Animal sexual behaviour
Animal sexual behaviour takes many different forms, including within the same species. Common mating or Reproduction, reproductively motivated systems include Monogamous pairing in animals, monogamy, Polygyny in animals, polygyny, Polyandry in ...
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Monkey
Monkey is a common name that may refer to most mammals of the infraorder Simiiformes, also known as simians. Traditionally, all animals in the group now known as simians are counted as monkeys except the apes. Thus monkeys, in that sense, co ...
References
External links
A summary of American state laws pertaining to monkey breeding and monkey ownershipInformation about monkey breeders and owning pet monkeys
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monkey Breeder
Monkeys
Animal breeding