When Fruit Is Scarce, These Monkeys Hunt Animals. The Behavior May Offer Clues About the Origins of Humans' Meat-Eating Habits
The bearded capuchins of northeastern Brazil typically eat plant-based foods, but they turn to small vertebrates when those sources are limited. Our ancestors may have done the same, eventually allowing predatory behaviors to be more frequently passed on in our lineage
In northeastern Brazil, researchers observed wild bearded capuchins hunting small vertebrates during the dry season when fruit was scarce. The researchers documented 281 instances of the monkeys consuming vertebrates over 5,093 hours of fieldwork. The capuchins typically started by eating the brains and internal organs of their prey before moving on to muscles.
Male capuchins hunted more frequently and were the only ones observed catching snakes, usually after removing the head. The findings suggest that when fruit and other plant foods became less available, capuchins turned to hunting small animals to supplement their diet. This behavior may provide insight into how early human ancestors supplemented their primarily plant-based diet with meat when fruits were less abundant.
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- Capuchin Monkeys Hunt Small Vertebrates When Fruit Runs Low, Eating Brains and Organs First discovermagazine.com
- Monkeys hunt small animals when fruit is scarce sciencenews.org
