Fluffy Monkeys: The 6 Fluffiest Monkeys in the World

Animals with large eyes – Pygmy marmoset monkey
donikz/Shutterstock.com

Written by Janet F. Murray

Published: August 31, 2022

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Monkeys are some of the cutest and most lovable mammals on the planet. Some are tiny, and some are pretty large. Some have tails, and some don’t. Other monkeys have very little hair with short fur, while some are super fluffy and look like teddy bears. Let’s look at six of the fluffiest monkeys in the world.

Fluffy Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey

The fluffy golden snub-nosed monkey is found on the Tibetan plateau in southwestern

China

.

The golden snub-nosed monkey has a thick coat which makes it super fluffy. These monkeys’ coats are dense and silky because they live in cold conditions. The male’s fur is a golden color with long black to gray guard hairs on its shoulders, upper arms, and back. Females are similar in color, but their guard hair is brown to black. The fluffy golden snub-nosed monkey has a white and hairless muzzle and a blue hue around its eyes.

They are called snub-nosed monkeys because they have flat noses with wide, forward-facing nostrils. In addition, these monkeys have two flaps of skin above their nostrils, which experts believe protect them against frostbite.

Male golden snub-nosed monkeys are larger than females and weigh 44 pounds on average. Females weigh roughly 27 pounds. Males grow to 26.8 inches on average, while females reach a smaller average size of 20.4 inches. Their tails are frequently longer than their entire body length.

Proboscis Monkey

animals with big noses: proboscis monkey

The proboscis monkey has a fluffy, colored coat and is native to the island of Borneo.

Proboscis monkey coats range in color from orange to yellow with white in between. Adult monkeys have pink faces, while infants’ faces are blue and gradually change to a cream hue as they mature. The Proboscis monkey is known for its long, strange nose shape and fluffy coat. These primates also have the largest noses of all monkeys, with males’ noses growing to an astounding seven inches long. Males with longer noses are usually more successful in attracting mating partners, and also enjoy a higher social status. Females typically have shorter noses. Proboscis monkeys are indigenous to Borneo, preferring the mangroves and swamp forests in the coastal areas. However, sometimes they will navigate to the lowlands to be near rivers, riparian forests, and rainforests.

Fluffy Gibbon

A pair of Gibbons

The fluffy gibbon is found in Northeast

India

, Indonesia, and Southern China.

Gibbon monkeys have fluffy coats that are different shades of brown. Parts of their bodies are white and black, like their hands, feet, and faces. They are the fastest mammal that lives in trees, with a body designed for momentum and movement. For example, they have a wrist with a ball and socket joint, allowing their hands to rotate completely and support rapid movement. Some even have two attached fingers on their hands.

Gibbons abound in the tropical and subtropical regions of Northeast India, Indonesia, and Southern China. These monkeys only live in trees and enjoy warm climates with bountiful foliage. Similar to many people, gibbons find a mate and usually stay with their partner until they die. However, these monkeys can be aggressive when defending their partner, territory, and troop. Their diet mainly consists of fruit, but they also eat twigs, leaves, insects, flowers, and bird eggs.

Titi Monkey

Titi monkeys are fluffy and tiny, weighing up to 2.2 lbs. and growing to 13 inches. They live in South America in the Amazon River basin, preferring the lower tree canopies.

Titi monkeys, also known as Bolivian titis or gray titis, have a super fluffy coat that is chestnut brown or red. Their tails are gray, and they have black faces. Titi monkeys are tiny, weighing about 2.2 pounds and growing to about 13 inches long. Typically, their tails are one-third to one-fourth of their body length. Titi monkeys live in the forests and swamps of the Amazon River basin. However, they often choose to live in the lower tree canopy along rivers and lake shores.

Titi monkeys are noisy, and pairs are known to engage in duets with other couples at dawn. These calls are territorial, sound like ‘chirrup-pump,’ and are loud enough to be heard 1.6 miles away. Titis forage in small groups and their diets consist primarily of fruits, but they are also known to eat leaves, seeds, and some insects.

Marmosets

marmosets sitting on branch

Marmosets, regardless of the species, have fluffy hair that feels silky soft.

There are three groups of marmosets, all of which have fluffy coats. These monkeys are native to the forests of South America and resemble squirrels. Fluffy marmosets come in three groups – the ‘true’ marmosets, the tamarins, and Goeldi’s monkey. These ‘true’ species live in the rainforests of the Amazon River’s upper tributaries. They grow to six inches tall with very long tails. True marmosets weigh from 3 ounces to 1.3 pounds.

Tamarins, specifically lion tamarins, have thick manes similar to lions. Depending on the species, these manes range in color. For example, the golden lion tamarin has thick hair, a black face, and long, golden fur. Goeldi’s monkeys occupy parts of the western Amazon River basin and are black with generous manes. Primatologists initially thought these marmosets were an evolutionary intermediate between marmosets and the other New World monkeys. However, they later learned that they belonged to the marmoset family.

Blue Monkey

Blue monkey sitting on a tree branch.

Blue monkeys are not the ‘true blue’ color you might expect, although their hairless faces have some blue undertones.

Although many expect these monkeys to have blue fur, blue monkeys have fluffy olive or grey coats. However, their faces are hairless and often have dark blue hues. The tops of their heads are also dark, with black and white markings across their bodies. Blue monkeys inhabit regions of the vast Congo basin and Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa. They live in humid and shady areas, like evergreen and bamboo forests near stable water resources.

Blue monkeys live in troops of 10 to 40 members. These groups comprise a single male with multiple females and their infants. Some males will live alone before finding a troop. Blue monkeys are frugivorous and folivorous. Their diets mainly consist of fruits, leaves, and invertebrates like slow-moving slugs and worms.

Up Next: Beyond Fluffy Monkeys


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About the Author

I'm a freelance writer with more than eight years of content creation experience. My content writing covers diverse genres, and I have a business degree. I am also the proud author of my memoir, My Sub-Lyme Life. This work details the effects of living with undiagnosed infections like rickettsia (like Lyme). By sharing this story, I wish to give others hope and courage in overcoming their life challenges. In my downtime, I value spending time with friends and family.

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