Evolution makes perfect sense to me. Monkeys did not evolve because they did not encounter the conditions which were necessary to evolve.   I can envision a big tree where everything has a common genetic ancestor. It's actually amazing how many genetic similarities we share with mammals and other species, for example the urge to urinate when the sound of running water is heard, sexual reproduction, the way our eyes look, etc.   

If you eliminate the thinking mind and use mindfulness to observe nature and observe your basic instincts, you can get in touch with your animal self.