Physical Appearance Rhesus monkeys have brown fur, and the adults have a red face and rump. The underparts are lighter brown-coloured, and the hair on top of the head is short. Habitat Rhesus monkeys prefer forest habitats, including semi-desert, dry, deciduous, bamboo, and tropical woodland up to 3000m. They feed on seeds, roots, buds, fruit, invertebrates, bark and cereals. Males are peripheral to the group and are replaced every few years.
Group size depends on environmental characteristics.
In areas, where there is little water, groups of 200 may form. Rhesus monkeys are diurnal. They spend a significant proportion of their time on the ground. After a gestation period of 135-194 days, females give birth to 1 infant, which weighs about 450g at birth. Notes They have given their name to the rhesus antigens found in their blood in 1940, which has enabled doctors to determine different blood groups in humans.