With a huge snout that keeps growing throughout its life, this monkey wins by a nose for having the biggest proboscis of any other primates on Earth. For males, the big snout attracts females and amplifies the calls they make to each other. The proboscis monkey lives in dense mangrove swamps and rainforests, munching on leaves all day long-but it has an athletic side. This monkey is a strong swimmer that can dive underwater; it can jump into the water from heights of more than 50 feet to escape predators.
Sharp Snacks: This plant-eater's canine teeth are so long they look like fangs. The primate uses them to tear through the tough leaves of mangrove trees, and possibly to scare away potential predators.
Tree-Climbing Gear: The proboscis monkey lives only in mangrove swamps and tropical forests on the Asian island of Borneo. The mammals swings from tree to tree with its long arms, gripping branches with its human-like hands.
The Nose Knows[]
This monkey spends its day taking flying leaps through branches.
This species was named after the male's droopy nose (proboscis is another word for snout), which can reach 8 inches in length as the animal grows older. Oddly, the proboscis monkey has only an average sense of smell, but its big nose does come in handy. Its main purpose is to attract mates, as females are partial to males with the biggest schnozes. Also, males call to others by making a honking noise, and pump up the volume by sending the sound through their noses. When angry or frightened, the monkey's nose becomes red and swollen.
Fatty: This monkey is an active animal, traveling through up to a mile's worth of branches to find food every day, but it still has a fat belly. The fat comes from the fact that the animal eats up to 15 pounds of food every day!
Swim For It!: Unlike some primates, the proboscis monkey is a strong swimmer. Its feet are webbed, giving it extra paddling power. The creature has been known to jump into rivers from as high as 50 feet to escape from danger.
Why Did the Monkey Cross the River?[]
- A troop of proboscis monkeys travel through the mangrove swamp, stripping leaves from trees and munching huge amounts of the food as they go.
- After the tree they're in is bare, the monkeys spot another good tree across the river. The creatures leap into the water without hesitation.
- Paddling with their webbed feet, the monkeys make it across the river within a few seconds. Luckily, no hungry crocs were around this time.
Trivia[]
- The card's front illustration is also used in the Wildlife Explorer series, for the Proboscis Monkey's profile. Besides the image being flipped between the two cards, it's otherwise identical.
- The "Why Did the Monkey Cross the River?" illustrations are also used in the Wildlife Explorer card. Here, they're titled "Taking the Plunge", and there is a fourth panel of the monkeys climbing up a new tree.
- The proboscis monkey is featured in Know Your Noses on Monster Mania 86.