Monkeys have to be some of the best animals of all time. They are endlessly entertaining, probably because they’re the most like us. Sometimes it’s almost unsettling how human-like we can be (or rather, how monkey-like humans can be). They have complex relationships, they understand humor, and their facial expressions say so much. Also, getting ahead of it now- I know monkeys and apes are different. For the purposes of this meme list, just… don’t worry about it, ok? They’re just memes.

Given how similar we are, it’s no wonder that in our quest to communicate with animals, we started with primates. Even though Koko The Gorilla may or may not have actually understood or spoken sign language, there’s no doubt that she captured the hearts of America nonetheless. We have a special bond with our biped friends. But we also know that they could promptly end our lives if they ever needed to. This is the beautiful thing about the animal kingdom.