Monkeys Who Have Been Using Tools For 3000 Years
The presence of monkeys using tools is nothing new to the scientific community, but that these habits date back to 3,000 years ago was a real discovery. Primates are very intelligent and skilled animals, so much so that they are considered the most similar to humans. Read on if you want to know more.
A study of monkeys using tools
A recent study found that the use of tools by capuchin monkeys dates back more than 3,000 years, which far exceeds previous estimates of 700 years for the white-headed capuchin monkey. This study, conducted on capuchin cebi, shows that there are monkeys that have been using tools for at least 3000 years; and this figure could be even higher.
The study was conducted in the Sierra de la Capibara National Park, Brazil. Led by Dr. Tomos Proffitt, the scientists revealed various stages in the use of tools, something very similar to what happened in archaeological sites of humans such as that of Atapuerca.
The first stages consist of the use of small tools, while 250 years ago a stage began in which the monkeys of this park used larger stones to break the fruit shells.
In this regard, it must be remembered that cumulative learning has so far been found only in humans. This means that although tools change, they do not show any improvement, as these animals do not expand their cultural behaviors over time like humans.
The bearded cebo, a monkey from Brazil
The monkeys that have been using tools for 3,000 years are none other than the striped cebo or bearded cebo ( Sapajus libidinosus ), a family of primates found only in Brazil. These monkeys measure between 30 and 44 centimeters in length, although their tail doubles this size. The tail is prehensile, which means they can use it to grasp objects as if it were a third arm.
So capuchin monkeys aren’t the only monkeys to use tools. The bearded cebo also exhibited self-medication behaviors and very curious cultural attitudes.
In the case of the Brazilian bearded cebo, it feeds mainly on palm fruits and insects, so the use of tools by these animals is very important to open the shells. They have a great diurnal activity and inhabit vast territories of about 300 hectares, where groups of about nine specimens spend the day looking for food. Herds of over 50 have been recorded, moving from tree to tree.
Unfortunately, capuchin monkeys are one of the primate breeds that has suffered the most from humans. This is because they are often caught to be reared at home, despite some tragic events having amply demonstrated that monkeys are not pets at all.
Therefore, we must remember that, despite their intelligence and their habits they can remind us a lot of people, these primates must remain in nature with other specimens of their species, since they are social animals that suffer greatly from changes.
