* Vast and Difficult to Track: Monkey populations are spread across a wide range of habitats in the tropics and subtropics, many of which are remote and difficult to access.
* Constant Fluctuation: Monkey populations are constantly changing due to factors like habitat loss, poaching, disease, and food availability.
* Different Definitions: There's no single agreed-upon definition of "monkey." Some people include all primates that are not apes (humans, gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gibbons), while others have more specific definitions.
Instead of an exact number, we have estimates:
* Conservation organizations typically focus on specific monkey species and track their populations, but these estimates are still incomplete and subject to change.
* Global estimates are even more difficult to obtain, but some sources suggest that there may be millions of monkeys worldwide.
If you're interested in learning more about a specific monkey species, look up its population data on websites like the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.