Rhesus Macaque

primates · Asia · adaptable · intelligent

Brown and sturdy. Rhesus macaques are medium-sized monkeys with brown or grey fur, about the size of a house cat. They have short tails and weigh between 12 and 17 pounds.

Champions of everywhere. These monkeys live across South, Central, and Southeast Asia in more different places than any other wild monkey species. They can survive in mountains, forests, grasslands, and even cities.

Two family groups. Scientists recognize between six and nine different subspecies of rhesus macaques, split into two main groups: the Chinese-derived and the Indian-derived populations.

Living high and low. Rhesus macaques are incredibly flexible about where they live, handling everything from high mountains to tropical lowlands and adapting to almost any environment they encounter.

Smart and social. These monkeys are highly intelligent and live in complex social groups where they communicate with each other and solve problems together.