As our distant ancestors, monkeys let us see the more honest and innocent parts of ourselves. Over the past year or so, I have grown an affinity for monkeys for this very reason. In that time, I have grown a massive collection of cute, silly, and cool monkey videos. Today I will be announcing my official Top Ten Monkeys!

Monkey #10 [baby monkey gets hurt]

Many of the monkeys on this list are from videos, so I have done my best to capture their energy in screenshots. In this particular video, a baby orangutan is playing on a spinning metal bar. He was having a fantastic time until he slipped and got hit in the head by the bar. This little guy would be higher on the list if he didn’t get hurt, but I wanted to acknowledge him in some way. I believe that this baby monkey’s painful facial expressions and innocent nature make him very appealing to our parental instincts.

Monkey #9 [hungry boy]

Wow, what a guy! This beautiful monkey kindly takes nibbles of food from a human adversary. The bright red fur and adorable face of this monkey would place him higher on the list if it weren’t for his scary teeth and weird mouth flaps. Still a wonderful monkey though.

Monkey #8 [monkey loves puppy]

A puppy, a monkey, what more could you possibly ask for? Despite the fact that this chimpanzee is built to swing through trees and climb about, he stops for a moment to delicately handle a little puppy. I do, however, recognize that this is a top ten monkey list and not a top ten puppy list, so that takes a few points off of this guy’s score.

Monkey #7 [baby monkey loves ducklings]

Just like the previously mentioned monkey, this guy ranks a bit lower because he is interacting with other non-monkey animals. However, this is extremely adorable. There is a special synergy between the little guy and the ducklings. Look at the way he gently places his tiny hand on the duckling’s chest. Incredible!

Monkey #6 [monkey enjoy trampoline]

Oh, to be an orangutan flopping on a trampoline. The video begins with this fellow climbing on a wooden play set. He then joyfully falls onto a nearby trampoline, enjoying the bounce and looking into the camera with pure amusement. We can only hope that this monkey lives out the rest of his days bouncing around.

Monkey #5 [monkey enjoy rocket]

Tell me this guy isn’t the next Elon Musk. Forget that actually, he’s better than Elon Musk. This guy will be on mars by next year. The way he happily rides his rocket and pumps his arm through the air gives us hope for a future in the final frontier.

Monkey #4 [monkey ride other monkey]

To many, this image evokes a story about love, rage, and regret. The story follows a male gorilla who is carried around by his wife. One thing leads to another and the two get in a fight, resulting in the wife’s death. For the rest of his days, the prevailing gorilla has no choice but to reflect on his horrible actions. This story allows us to think and reflect on our own mistakes, learning from those of monkey #4. Although this monkey does not follow the merry nature that most others on this list do, I had to place him fairly high due to the way his testimony resonates with the struggle of day to day life.

Monkey #3 [powerade mungy]

He drinking Powerade!!!

Monkey #2 [spin and jump monkey]

Of all the monkey videos on this list, I recommend this one the most. This lanky boy spins on a toy of his whilst making a mesmerizing “oooooh” sound. He completes his beautiful spin with an agile jump up and out of frame. His soothing noise gradually increases in pitch, matching the windup of his spin and the vigor of his leap. A work of art pulled from the spiritual depths of a splendid monkey.

Monkey #1 [cool sunglasses momma monkey]

A story, a mother, a child, sunglasses, where do I begin? After someone dropped their sunglasses in an orangutan exhibit, this mother hobbled over with her child and placed them on her face. The way she sits with her head held high while adjusting her new shades just screams swagger. If you look closely, you will find that her sunglasses are actually upside-down. Is this a fashion statement? A commentary on monkey society? Whatever it is, it’s magnificent. Not to mention the way her child looks up at her with utter disbelief and honor. I’m going to continue my search for internet monkeys, so I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but this may very well be the best monkey I will ever lay eyes on. I wish I could meet her, and thank her for what she has done for this community.