monkeys
All posts tagged monkeys
The above clip shows two examples of capuchin monkeys’ understanding of teamwork and fairness. In the first example, two monkeys must work together to gain treats, and the one who receives the reward must decide whether to share the wealth or keep it all to itself. In the second example, when the two monkeys receive unequal rewards, the one getting ripped off becomes increasingly frustrated and ultimately turns down its own, second-rate treat and demands the one its partner receives.
Self-awareness has previously been accepted as a trait exclusive to humans and higher primates, and the typical method of assessing recognition of self involves placing a mark on a participant’s face and seeing if the participant touches the mark when looking in a mirror. Rhesus monkeys traditionally fail this test. However, a recent study suggests that these typical tests of self-awareness may not accurately reflect other animals’ abilities to recognize themselves. In their work, researchers found that when looking at their reflection, rhesus monkeys positioned the mirrors and themselves to examine parts of their bodies that they could not usually see, checking out their butts and genital areas.
A male long-tailed macaque on a reserve in Bali has recently adopted a kitten as a companion, and the cat doesn’t seem to mind.
[The Telegraph] via [Monkeys in the News] and [TreeHugger], photos by Solent/Anne Young
A rhesus monkey nicknamed Pinocchio has honed a unique technique for cracking open coconuts. His strategy includes rolling an intact coconut down to a dock and then repeatedly throwing the coconut in the air and bouncing it off the hard ground until it cracks.
Video of Pinocchio’s unique method in action is available over at BBC.
[Ethology] via [BBC Earth News], photo by J. Comins
While it isn’t completely clear what these animals are thinking, the fact that all involved parties are so calmly engaging in giving and receiving rides implies at the very least a learned tolerance between different species.
via [Cute Overload]
A group of monkeys at a primate center in Japan recently escaped from their enclosure despite its 17 foot walls. They did so by bending back the branches of six foot tall trees and catapulting themselves out one at a time. After their cunning escape, they loitered just outside their home until being lured back in with peanuts.
[The Telegraph] and [Treehugger], photo
Like this:
In the above clip, a monkey manipulates with its mind a highly complex robotic arm to move and grasp at a knob in order to obtain a reward.
[ieee spectrum] via [Monkeys in the News]
Male monkeys holding babies have been shown to enjoy more positive social receptions from other adults while doing so and gain better social status.
via [Discover], image by Andrea Ploss
