Evolution

I was speaking with a lady a couple weeks ago about the Galapagos Islands.  She had never heard of them.  I explained about the Galapagos tortoises, Charles Darwin, and the theory of evolution.  She had heard about the tortoises but not Charles Darwin.  She said, "I don't really believe in evolution, do you?"  I said I did.  She asked me why and I was temporarily taken aback.  I stuttered, "It's a pretty well established theory." I told her about the tortoises and how the shells were different on each island. If the vegetation was low, the shell was rounded behind the head.  If the vegetation was at a higher level, the shell had a notch behind the head so the tortoise could stretch it's head up to reach the food.  She answered, "Well, if humans came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?"  She had a good question even though I wanted to slap her.  I changed the subject but the question has been nagging me.  Darwin says that species change gradually.  Some species thrive because they can adapt to their environment.  If they adapt enough, they have more offspring than the ones who don't adapt.  The favorable traits are passed on.  In the case of monkeys, some monkeys adapted and passed on traits that lead to human development.  Other monkeys did not adapt.  Just because some monkeys adapted does not mean all the other species of monkeys went extinct.  Monkeys exist because they had no enemies and did not need to adapt.  I am sure to learn more about Darwin and evolution and ecology on this trip.