Macaques are Old World monkeys found in Africa and Asia. The most distinguishing feature between Old World monkeys and New World monkeys (those found in the Americas) is that only New World monkeys have prehensile tails that can be used for grabbing and holding.
New World monkeys have prehensile tails.
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Many Old World monkeys have rump pads and distinctive cheek pouches used to store food, and most have small curved nostrils set close together.
Two types of macaques-rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys-have for decades been tragically subjected to cruel biomedical, psychological, and behavioral experiments, such as maternal-deprivation studies and being rocketed to their deaths in space.
A PETA undercover investigation at Columbia University last year revealed that metal pipes had been surgically implanted into the skulls of rhesus monkeys in order to induce stress for a study of the connection between stress and the menstrual cycle.
Monkeys, like other primates, have shown impressive intellectual abilities, such as counting and understanding relationships between numbers, using tools, employing advanced deceptive tactics, communicating complex information, such as alerting others to the distinct type of threat approaching (e.g., different signals if it is a snake, a leopard, or an eagle) and even possessing a sense of "fairness." A troop of Japanese macaques demonstrated that they have a "culture" when they began washing their food.
This act, introduced by an innovative macaque, was adopted by others in the troop until it became the cultural norm-unique to this particular macaque troop. No longer could behavior simply be attributed to instinct. This troop proved that monkeys have unique individual and group identities, and that they learn, improvise, and transmit knowledge much as humans do.
Macaques also possess remarkable social intelligence. They live in highly interactive troops of 80 to 100 members and can recognize and negotiate complex relationships. A young female rhesus monkey stays with her mother and sisters for life to integrate into "one of the tightest and most complicated social systems known in the animal kingdom," according to Frans de Waal. When shown photos of other females from their troop, female macaques are able to identify them and pick out their offspring from randomly placed photos. Vervet monkeys, similarly, will look toward the mother when hearing an infant's distress call—only the mother will look toward the infant. Male bonnet macaques are able to recognize complicated third-party relationships to take advantage of subtle rank differentials when recruiting allies.
Macaques have distinct "cultures."
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Confinement in laboratories is even more tragic given this context. Their entire social fabric is ripped apart as they are isolated in solitary cages. Adding insult to injury, cages are piled on top of each other without regard for natural dominance order, resulting in some macaques' being arbitrarily relegated to "subordinate" lower cages.
Macaques have extraordinary physical adaptability, with some species living in cold climates and others in hot, dry environments. Some are adept climbers, living mostly in trees, while others live mainly on the ground. Some are great swimmers-a troop of Japanese macaques in the Nagano Mountains, in another example of unique culture, took the cue of a troop member and began a tradition of bathing in the hot springs to find relief from the frigid winters. They are omnivorous, eating primarily roots, herbs, fruits, and leaves and also some insects and invertebrates. But in laboratories, their short, miserable existences in tiny, barren cages deny them everything natural. With little enrichment or variety, most macaques succumb to "stereotypical" behavior such as spinning endlessly or rocking and self-mutilation.
Laboratories try to keep these horrors well hidden from the public so you will see no evil and hear no evil. PETA's undercover investigation at Covance has provided video footage  for you to witness what happens to rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys in laboratories.
Here's what you can do to help.
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A common mistake heard on television is referring to great apes as "monkeys." Baby chimpanzees, who are widely exploited by the entertainment industry, are often incorrectly called monkeys because of their smaller size. Apes differ from monkeys in several ways. Apes have no tail and generally have a larger body weight than most other primates. They have a more upright body posture than monkeys and a broad chest. Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, bonobos, and humans are great apes. There are also other apes classified as "lesser apes" such as gibbons. Baboons, however, are monkeys.
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