When fruits and veggies are scarce, monkeys hunt for meat
Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when fruits and vegetables become scarce, potentially mirroring the habits of human ancestors, according to a study published in PLOS One by Susana Carvalho (Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique), Noemi Spagnoletti (Sapienza University of Rome, Italy) and colleagues.
Capuchin monkeys, the bearded variety in particular, hunt small animals during periods of scarcity in their plant food supply, according to a study published in PLOS One. Researchers from Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique and Sapienza University of Rome in Italy observed two groups of capuchins in Fazenda Boa Vista, Brazil, between 2006 and 2010.
Over 5,000 hours of observation yielded 446 instances of the monkeys eating small animals, most often lizards (43%) and rodents (28%). This predation behavior has parallels to the hunting habits of early human ancestors, who were also known to hunt animals larger than themselves. The capuchins' preference for vertebrate prey increased when fruit and vegetable options were limited, and males were more likely to hunt and target more dangerous prey than females.
The monkeys also showed a preference for consuming the brains and viscera of their prey, indicating a focus on obtaining fat-dense tissues during times of dietary scarcity. The researchers suggest that future studies could confirm these patterns in other primates, while also examining fossil records for evidence of similar hunting behaviors in early human ancestors.
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