Fun Facts

1. Rhesus monkeys were among the first living creatures to be sent into the upper atmosphere.

2. Because of their physiological closeness to humans, this species is very commonly used for health and psychological studies.

3. It was recently discovered that the Rhesus monkey shared a specific blood factor with humans that no other species does. This factor was thusly named the "Rhesus factor".

4. Because of the similarities in blood type to humans, studies of the Rhesus monkey have been used to develop vaccines for diseases such as polio and smallpox.

  5. Understanding the process of a developing embryo in human mothers would not have been possible without studying the Rhesus monkey.
                                                                                                                       

(Lang, 2005)

Return home or learn about how the Rhesus monkey interacts with other species.