# Why so few primate fursonas?



## Deleted member 111470 (Jul 16, 2020)

I have been wondering recently - why do people avoid making primate fursonas? Apart from a couple of people with ape characters, I hadn't met anyone who has a monkey fursona until a few days ago.

So, why do you think that is? Is it because they are close to humans? Maybe it's how they are portrayed in media - as annoying pests. Thieving capuchins, filfth flinging chimps, aggressive and stupid baboons, sacred temple macaques that attack people, etc.

But then, in eastern cultures, people have monkey deities and folklore figures - Lord Hanuman from the Hindu texts, Sun Wukong from the Chinese story "A Journey to the West". I wonder if people from these parts of the world are more inclined to have a monkey as their fursona...

Anyway, I'd like hear your thoughts :3


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## Frank Gulotta (Jul 16, 2020)

I know a bunch
Humans do have a weird relationship to monkey, might be uncanny-valley-related


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## Guifrog (Jul 16, 2020)

I was torn between having a monkey or a frog for my fursona. I'm fond of both species. The Donkey Kong games were among my favorites, and I made my debut as a remixer on OverClocked ReMix with a Diddy Kong Racing arrangement. Not to mention how monkeys are a common species here, although I do admit to having been exposed more to their stereotypes.

So eventually I figured I had a much bigger connection to frogs. Which wouldn't stop me from creating a monkey character just because.






It did surprise me when I put on a monkey avatar once for the lulz here and somebody called it "creepy" tho. ;P Twas basically a flat monkey head with sunglasses


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## Deleted member 111470 (Jul 16, 2020)

Guifrog said:


> I was torn between having a monkey or a frog for my fursona. I'm fond of both species. The Donkey Kong games were among my favorites, and I made my debut as a remixer on OverClocked ReMix with a Diddy Kong Racing arrangement. Not to mention how monkeys are a common species here, although I do admit to having been exposed more to their stereotypes.
> 
> So eventually I figured I had a much bigger connection to frogs. Which wouldn't stop me from creating a monkey character just because.
> 
> ...



Is he a capuchin? I like his ear-piece! 

And I have also had people comment on my sona that he's a gross monkey. Maybe it is because of how they are portrayed in the media.


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## Stray Cat Terry (Jul 16, 2020)

In my case, the lack of creativity on how to make a primate appealing.

So, when I first saw your avatar(your sona) and later having seen several more pics of your sona, I was surprised and also admired that there's someone who is able to make a primate handsome and attractive.

So I guess... creativity matters!


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## Deleted member 111470 (Jul 16, 2020)

Stray Cat Terry said:


> In my case, the lack of creativity on how to make a primate appealing.
> 
> So, when I first saw your avatar(your sona) and later having seen several more pics of your sona, I was surprised and also admired that there's someone who is able to make a primate handsome and attractive.
> 
> So I guess... creativity matters!




Thank you! I am glad you like him. I based his looks sort of on Wukong from League of Legends, and fan art of him.


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## Mambi (Jul 16, 2020)

Rimna said:


> I have been wondering recently - why do people avoid making primate fursonas? Apart from a couple of people with ape characters, I hadn't met anyone who has a monkey fursona until a few days ago.
> 
> So, why do you think that is? Is it because they are close to humans? Maybe it's how they are portrayed in media - as annoying pests. Thieving capuchins, filfth flinging chimps, aggressive and stupid baboons, sacred temple macaques that attack people, etc.
> 
> ...



I'd guess the closeness with humans, and also that calling someone a monkey is consider an insult to many for religious or racist reasons. Might turn off a few people from it.


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## MrSpookyBoots (Jul 16, 2020)

Closeness to humans is probably a key factor, yeah. People have their own reasons for picking a fursona, and perhaps primates fall to the wayside _because_ people have the liberty of choosing one that isn't a potential "relative" to the human species.

I also don't think it's a matter of disgust for most people, but I can't vouch for everyone. Primates are awesome and I have a special fondness for apes especially. I think the fox is the most commonly utilized animal for fursonas for a reason. From what I have observed, a lot of members of this fandom just really like fluffier animals. A lot of primates outside of lemurs and several other outliers (such as the tarsier) are not fluffy. Bright eyes and bushy tails are a staple within the fandom. I think canine and feline fursonas are more common because of that. Who doesn't want to be something that's fluffy? Better yet--why would people generally choose an animal that could be more closely related to humans when there are almost countless other species to choose from? Someone has to get the short end of the stick somewhere along the line.


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## Guifrog (Jul 16, 2020)

Rimna said:


> Is he a capuchin? I like his ear-piece!
> 
> And I have also had people comment on my sona that he's a gross monkey. Maybe it is because of how they are portrayed in the media.


Yep! We call it _macaco-prego_. Or a tufted capuchin last I checked. The ear thing was inspired by the type of accessory worn by the Xavante tribe, as they take the bones of a jaguar and pierce their ears in a ritual to represent the transition to adult life. Plus I like the aesthetics


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## Deleted member 132067 (Jul 16, 2020)

I wouldn't necessarily say that people _avoid _creating monkey fursonas. I personally like foxes more so fox it is and that's the boring end of it.
If I were to interpret something into it, I'd say that there's simply not that many primate fursonas around, hence why people are a bit short on ideas. I feel like the more art there is, be it from this fandom, cartoons or comics, the easier it is for people to pait a picture in their heads. And frankly, I've seen comparatively few primates. So that might be the reason.


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## Kit H. Ruppell (Jul 16, 2020)

I think it's because of how close they are to humans already, leading to "uncanny valley" situations when they're anthropomorphized.


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## TyraWadman (Jul 16, 2020)

I'm already a monkey irl so I don't need to make a fursona! 
But I also don't have any monkey oc's illustrated yet because I suck at drawing and keep messing up.


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## FooFoo4230 (Jul 16, 2020)

I have no idea what the reason is, but 3.1 Species Popularity - FurScience shows how unpopular primates are compared to other species! I wish more people knew about this. This also explains why the AI-generated art is usually somewhat fox/dog/cat like. Well, I guess that I’ll probably be one of the majority of people who have one of the more popular species.


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## Bink (Jul 16, 2020)

I mean humans are already apes.. so s_hrugs_
Maybe a bit too close to home for most people's taste?


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## oappo (Jul 16, 2020)

Rimna said:


> So, why do you think that is? Is it because they are close to humans?


Pretty much. I think primates sort of enter uncanny valley as far as a concept goes. Alternatively, it could be how mundane they are compared to other species. You know, since  they're  in the clade humans belong to

Another thing is primates don't really have any special aspects to them. They are known for their intelligence, but that's not a very appealing trait compared to something that's cool or cute.


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## Guifrog (Jul 16, 2020)

oappo said:


> Pretty much. I think primates sort of enter uncanny valley as far as a concept goes. Alternatively, it could be how mundane they are compared to other species. You know, since  they're  in the clade humans belong to
> 
> Another thing is primates don't really have any special aspects to them. They are known for their intelligence, but that's not a very appealing trait compared to something that's cool or cute.


Zoboomafoo begs to differ 






I don't know. Besides the lemurs, I find there's many primates with distinctive traits. Love myself some orangutans with those huuuuge arms. Golden lion tamarins are like sentient flames with their bright orange fur. And I like how most species seem to have so much control over their bodies, like natural acrobats, able to move their limbs to achieve whatever they please


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## Mayflower (Jul 16, 2020)

I think that some anthro primates can look too much like feral primates. It depends on the artistic style, and the way the character is presented, of course. but I have often thought that a character simply looked like a feral primate wearing clothes.


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## Deleted member 111470 (Jul 17, 2020)

Thank you everyone for the input so far. I couldn't respond to each person yesterday, so I'm just going to write a single post.

It does seem that the closeness to humans is the most common reason. About it being perceived as racist, I would have never thought it could be a reason not to make a primate character. This does remind me of that scandal with the H&M shirt/hoodie that said "the coolest monkey in the jungle" or something along those lines.

As for monkeys/apes not being cool and cute and cuddly, well I disagree - they can be very affectionate and adorable. But these statements do shed light on my question, so I appreciate them. 

Cheers.


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## Zer0XP1nK (Oct 22, 2020)

Hay muy pocas fursonas de primates porque como humanos estamos asociados con primates y la característica de las fursonas es ser un animal no antropomorfo y hacerlo antropomórfico, a monkey is anthropomorphic and that is why there are very few


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## VeeStars (Oct 22, 2020)

@Arishipshape 
Humans are primates


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## Tendo64 (Oct 22, 2020)

Personally, I love primates--especially gorillas (Tarzan is one of my favorite disney movies.) I ultimately chose a cat though because I love cats. They're my favorite animals. But I've always liked your fursona, Rimna, and I'd love to see more monkey characters in the fandom.


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## Loffi (Oct 22, 2020)

I'm already a primate and I don't like it


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## Simo (Oct 22, 2020)

I've always liked cartoony monkeys since I was a kid; Curious George, Monkichi Monkey...I have a lunchbox I bought, of the latter, that I need to dig out:






...proof that monkeys are cute!


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## Deleted member 82554 (Oct 22, 2020)

Too close to human, ew.


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## Manny (Oct 26, 2020)

I just decided on a new fursona australopithecus aferensis. I wouldn't have thought of that if it weren't for this thread.


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## zandelux (Oct 26, 2020)

I hate every ape I see, from Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z...

But yeah, too close to human sounds about right. As you get further away from humans and into things like lemurs, I think they get more appealing. Still some awesome stuff out there on the human-y side: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/26817406/


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## Punk_M0nitor (Dec 9, 2020)

I think a lot of it has to do with how close primates are to humans. It's easy to enter the uncanny valley and a lot of people struggle finding the perfect balance between anthro and feral for something that already straddles the line. I don't have a primate fursona because they personally aren't my taste but I would absolutely love seeing more of others'


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## Xitheon (Dec 9, 2020)

I think it's an uncanny valley thing (which has already been stated, and I agree) and negative stereotypes. 

They're portrayed as stupid humans, which is unfair but understandable as they resemble humans so closely (even cute marmosets and tamarins have weird little human faces) that we judge them by human standards, moreso than we judge other, "less human" animals.

I personally appreciate primates, some of them are quite beautiful and I have a soft spot for gorillas. I love Koko, the female captive gorilla who could communicate through sign language - I regard her highly as a fellow cat-lover as she famously kept a pet kitten whom she named "All Ball." I like to reflect that I'm just like her - another primate with a pet kitten (he's called Blue and he's sleeping on my lap as I type this.)

I wouldn't have a primate 'sona, but I have no qualms about them. Except for when they're drawn as digitigrade... *Grr*


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## Jaredthefox92 (Dec 9, 2020)

There's some monkeys in the Order, Captain Francesco for instance. Mostly I don't add them in because well, they're much more useful as special agents and convert opts units for their species, and not likely to be seen among normal infantrymen on the frontlines.


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## Jackpot Raccuki (Dec 10, 2020)

Reject Monkee 
Embrace Raccoon

And on a serious note, I just don’t click well with primitive species hence why I ended up choosing a raccoon as a sona. I will however consider making a monkey character since they are a nice species still.


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## Xitheon (Dec 10, 2020)

Smexy Likeok4 said:


> Reject Monkee
> Embrace Raccoon
> 
> And on a serious note, I just don’t click well with primitive species hence why I ended up choosing a raccoon as a sona. I will however consider making a monkey character since they are a nice species still.



Monkeys are not primitive. They are as complex and highly adapted as raccoons.


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## Jackpot Raccuki (Dec 10, 2020)

Xitheon said:


> Monkeys are not primitive. They are as complex and highly adapted as raccoons.


Sounds like monkey propaganda 
Everyone knows to reject monkee and embrace the raccoon


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## Xitheon (Dec 10, 2020)

Smexy Likeok4 said:


> Sounds like monkey propaganda
> Everyone knows to reject monkee and embrace the raccoon



You are intimidating and strange.


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## Deleted member 134556 (Dec 10, 2020)

Rise of the Fandom of the Apes


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## Jackpot Raccuki (Dec 10, 2020)

Xitheon said:


> You are intimidating and strange.


Thank you, I get that a lot.
Means I’m doing good.


Nexus Cabler said:


> Rise of the Fandom of the Apes
> 
> View attachment 96064


*Sees a tipped over dumpster*
You finally did it! You maniacs tipped it over!


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## Deleted member 111470 (Dec 12, 2020)

Punk_M0nitor said:


> I think a lot of it has to do with how close primates are to humans. It's easy to enter the uncanny valley and a lot of people struggle finding the perfect balance between anthro and feral for something that already straddles the line. I don't have a primate fursona because they personally aren't my taste but I would absolutely love seeing more of others'



Yeah, this is one of the things I was paranoid about when commissioning art of Rimna. Make his face too flat, and he looks like a human with fur. Make it too elongated, and he looks like a baboon, which he isn't. I've found an artist who can draw him just the way I see him in my mind, so I don't have to be paranoid about it anymore.


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## Punk_M0nitor (Dec 13, 2020)

Rimna said:


> Yeah, this is one of the things I was paranoid about when commissioning art of Rimna. Make his face too flat, and he looks like a human with fur. Make it too elongated, and he looks like a baboon, which he isn't. I've found an artist who can draw him just the way I see him in my mind, so I don't have to be paranoid about it anymore.


I'm glad you found someone!!! It can be hard to find someone who draws uncommon species the way you like. I know I definitely have that issue (reptiles tend to be a little skewed unless they're dragons or dinos ;; ).


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