Primates are a large and varied group of mammals, including humans, that are characterized by advanced cognitive abilities, such as the ability to learn and remember complex tasks, use tools, and communicate using symbols or language. In addition to these unique capabilities, primates share a number of features with other mammals. For example, like all mammals, primates have fur or hair; they are warm-blooded animals whose young are born alive and nourished with milk from their mothers’ breasts; and they typically have four limbs (though some species have lost the use of one or more limbs).
Most primate species live in tropical or subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. A few species inhabit temperate zones elsewhere in the world. The majority of primates are arboreal—that is, they spend much of their time in trees—but there are also many terrestrial (land-dwelling) species. Some primates live in social groups consisting of multiple females and their offspring; others are primarily solitary.
The order Primates includes lemurs (a group of small arboreal mammals found only on the island of Madagascar), lorises (slow-moving tree-dwelling animals found in Africa and Asia), tarsiers (small carnivorous animals native to Southeast Asia), monkeys (a large group that includes apes), apes (including chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, gibbons),and humans. Humans are classified as Homo sapiens within the family Hominidae; other members of this family include chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), bonobos (Pan paniscus), orangutans(Pongo pygmaeus),and gibbons(Hylobatidae).