Latest news with #ZoeGoldsborough
Malay Mail
20-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Stealing baby howler monkeys for no reason is trending with bored young male capuchins… and scientists have no idea why
PARIS, May 20 — A new trend is catching on among bored young male capuchins: kidnapping baby howler monkeys, in what scientists say is the first time animals have been recorded stealing another species' infants for no apparent reason. PhD student Zoe Goldsborough first noticed something wrong in 2022 while sifting through footage captured by motion-triggered cameras on Jicaron, an island off the coast of Panama. 'I was very shocked' to see a white-faced capuchin monkey with a baby howler monkey on its back, Goldsborough, a researcher at Germany's Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, told AFP. The scientists nicknamed the capuchin Joker because the small scar at the side of its mouth reminded them of the 'Batman' villain. After reviewing more footage, they spotted Joker carrying four different howler monkey babies. At first, they thought this was the 'heartwarming story of a weird capuchin adopting these infants', said Goldsborough, the lead author of a new study in the journal Current Biology. Then the scientists started finding other cases not involving Joker. They eventually observed five capuchins carrying 11 different howler infants over a 15-month period. Then team then discovered footage of mournful howler monkey parents calling for their lost babies, showing that the infants had actually been abducted. A new trend is catching on among bored young male capuchins: kidnapping baby howler monkeys. — AFP pic A deadly trend The researchers were puzzled because the capuchins did not eat or prey on the babies, nor did they seem to enjoy playing with them. Goldsborough said they eventually realised these abductions were a social tradition or 'fad' among the island's young male capuchins. It is the first time one species has been documented repeatedly abducting the infants of another due to the spread of such a tradition, study co-author Brendan Barrett told AFP. The trend came with a high price: Four howler babies were observed to have died, but the researchers believe none survived. Exactly how the capuchins manage to kidnap the babies remains a mystery. The abduction likely takes place in the trees, and the cameras cover only the ground at the island's Coiba National Park. 'They're very successful at it, because they seem to even be able to get a one- or two-day-old infant off its mother,' Goldsborough said. The capuchins also do not suffer injuries, despite adult howler monkeys being three times their size. Cultural fads spreading among animals is rare but not unheard of. Barrett has previously studied capuchins in Costa Rica that suddenly started grooming porcupines, before growing bored of the trend. And back in the 1980s, killer whales took to donning dead salmon on their heads off the northwestern US coast. This trend returned decades later when orcas were again spotted wearing these 'salmon hats' last year. Scientists say is the first time animals have been recorded stealing another species' infants for no apparent reason.— AFP pic 'Agents of chaos' The researchers started recording the capuchins in 2017 because they skilfully use stone tools to crack nuts and shellfish. The capuchins have no predators and plenty of food on the island, leaving them a lot of free time to mess around. 'They're little exploratory agents of chaos,' Barrett said. While this extra time to experiment could result in socially learned traditions such as using tools, it could also lead to 'seemingly arbitrary things' like stealing the howler infants, he said. The study covered only abductions recorded until July 2023, but Goldsborough said there had been at least one more baby taken since, though they have not been through all the footage. There might have been a drop in kidnappings simply because the capuchins have fewer babies to steal — the island's howler monkeys are classified as endangered. The researchers also want to study whether the normally docile howler monkeys will start becoming more fearful — or aggressive — towards the previously harmless capuchins. — AFP
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Moment monkey 'kidnaps' a baby of another species and carries the bub away on its back... and experts are struggling to work out why
Fascinating new video footage captured on a remote island has captured a bizarre new phenomenon - baby monkeys being abducted by another species. The unprecedented craze of so-called 'monkey kidnappings' by capuchin monkeys have left scientists baffled, having first discovered the distinctive behaviour while reviewing footage from the small island of Panama. Zoe Goldsborough, alongside other researchers at Max Planck and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Germany, had initially set up more than 80 cameras to study capuchin tool use, but were shocked to witness the first howler babies begin to appear in early 2022. In bewildering new footage shared on YouTube a capuchin monkey, the size of a house-cat, is videoed with a baby howler monkey clinging to its back. Neither monkey are related, nor even of the same species. In fact, over the course of the 'tends and thousands of video footage and images', the all-male capuchin monkeys were seen carrying at least 11 howler babies between 2022 and 2023. Ms Goldsborough described the kidnappings as a 'shocking finding', with it still unclear what motivated the monkeys to carry out the mass abductions. Stressing the unprecedented nature of the footage, she added: 'We've not seen anything like this in the animal kingdom. 'We could see, for instance, that it was not a case of adoption where these babies were found by the capuchins, but rather abduction, because the infants tried to escape, they called to their parents who called back and we also saw the capuchins preventing them from escaping.' Meanwhile, Margaret Crofoot, co-author of Max Planck and Smithsonian, who have published the findings from the study in the Current Biology journal, described the early photographs of the kidnappings as 'so weird and so wrong'. The fascinating video showed the capuchins walking and pounding their stone tools with baby howlers on their backs. However, cameras did not capture the moments of abduction, which scientists said likely happened up in the trees, where howlers spend most of their time. As a result, Ms Crofoot described their 'window' into the story as 'constrained'. In most or all cases, the baby howlers died, the researchers said. Infant howler monkeys would normally be carried by their mothers while still nursing. All the babies in the video - from a few weeks to a few months in age - were too young to be weaned. Ms Crofoot added: 'A hopeful part of me wants to believe some escaped and went back to their mothers, but we don't know'. The videos recorded a few instances of young capuchin males still carrying howler babies that had died, likely from starvation. Many animals - from gorillas to orcas - have been observed carrying their own dead offspring, though scientists are unsure of sure the reasons. Found solely in South America and Central America, the capuchin monkeys are long-lived, intellectual and often learn new behaviours from each other. One particular group of capuchins in Panama even learned how to use stone tools to crack open nuts and seafood. But, the question still remains - Why did the capuchin males do it? There were no signs of deliberate aggression toward the babies and they weren't eaten, ruling out predation. Ms Goldsborough said that the scientists have 'all spent hours wracking our brains why they would do this'. The first baby-snatcher may have had a confused 'caring motivation,' or parental instinct, because he showed gentleness interacting with the infants, she said. Then four other males copied his actions. Brendan Barrett, project leader for the Department for Ecology of Animal Societies, said that given there was no utility or function of the kidnapping, the monkeys may have been doing it simply out of 'boredom' given there is a lot of 'free time' on islands. The researchers said they don't believe the capuchins harmed the babies on purpose. So far, only one other group of capuchins has been known to kidnap. The research shows the 'remarkable behavioral variation across social groups of the same species,' said Catherine Crockford, a primatologist at the CNRS Institute for Cognitive Sciences in France, who was not involved in the study.
Jordan Times
19-05-2025
- Science
- Jordan Times
Monkeys kidnap babies of another species in weird 'fad'
This photograph taken on March 20, 2023 by Brendan Barrett and released by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour shows a howler infant on the back of a subadult capuchin carrier who is using stone tools at an anvil site on the Jicaron Island (AFP photo) PARIS — A new trend is catching on among bored young male capuchins: Kidnapping baby howler monkeys, in what scientists say is the first time animals have been recorded stealing another species' infants for no apparent reason. PhD student Zoe Goldsborough first noticed something wrong in 2022 while sifting through footage captured by motion-triggered cameras on Jicaron, an island off the coast of Panama. "I was very shocked" to see a white-faced capuchin monkey with a baby howler monkey on its back, Goldsborough, a researcher at Germany's Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, told AFP. The scientists nicknamed the capuchin Joker because the small scar at the side of its mouth reminded them of the "Batman" villain. After reviewing more footage, they spotted Joker carrying four different howler monkey babies. At first, they thought this was the "heartwarming story of a weird capuchin adopting these infants", said Goldsborough, the lead author of a new study in the journal Current Biology. Then the scientists started finding other cases not involving Joker. They eventually observed five capuchins carrying 11 different howler infants over a 15-month period. Then team then discovered footage of mournful howler monkey parents calling for their lost babies, showing that the infants had actually been abducted. A deadly trend The researchers were puzzled because the capuchins did not eat or prey on the babies, nor did they seem to enjoy playing with them. Goldsborough said they eventually realised these abductions were a social tradition or "fad" among the island's young male capuchins. It is the first time one species has been documented repeatedly abducting the infants of another due to the spread of such a tradition, study co-author Brendan Barrett told AFP. The trend came with a high price: Four howler babies were observed to have died, but the researchers believe none survived. Exactly how the capuchins manage to kidnap the babies remains a mystery. The abduction likely takes place in the trees, and the cameras cover only the ground at the island's Coiba National Park. "They're very successful at it, because they seem to even be able to get a one- or two-day-old infant off its mother," Goldsborough said. The capuchins also do not suffer injuries, despite adult howler monkeys being three times their size. Cultural fads spreading among animals is rare but not unheard of. Barrett has previously studied capuchins in Costa Rica that suddenly started grooming porcupines, before growing bored of the trend. And back in the 1980s, killer whales took to donning dead salmon on their heads off the north-western US coast. This trend returned decades later when orcas were again spotted wearing these "salmon hats" last year. 'Agents of chaos' The researchers started recording the capuchins in 2017 because they skilfully use stone tools to crack nuts and shellfish. The capuchins have no predators and plenty of food on the island, leaving them a lot of free time to mess around. "They're little exploratory agents of chaos," Barrett said. While this extra time to experiment could result in socially learned traditions such as using tools, it could also lead to "seemingly arbitrary things" like stealing the howler infants, he said. The study covered only abductions recorded until July 2023, but Goldsborough said there had been at least one more baby taken since, though they have not been through all the footage. There might have been a drop in kidnappings simply because the capuchins have fewer babies to steal -- the island's howler monkeys are classified as endangered. The researchers also want to study whether the normally docile howler monkeys will start becoming more fearful -- or aggressive -- towards the previously harmless capuchins. Page 2
Toronto Sun
19-05-2025
- Science
- Toronto Sun
Caught on camera, capuchin monkeys kidnap howler monkey babies
Published May 19, 2025 • 2 minute read This photo provided by researchers shows a baby howler monkey clinging onto a young adult male capuchin monkey on Jicarón Island, Panama in September 2022. Photo by Brendan Barrett / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior via AP WASHINGTON — A baby howler monkey clung to the back of an older male monkey, its tiny fingers grasping fur. But they're not related and not even the same species. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Scientists spotted surprising evidence of what they describe as monkey kidnappings while reviewing video footage from a small island off Panama. The capuchin monkeys were seen carrying at least 11 howler babies between 2022 and 2023. 'This was very much a shocking finding,' said Zoe Goldsborough, a behavioral ecologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany. 'We've not seen anything like this in the animal kingdom.' The monkeys' motivations remain under investigation. Capuchins are house cat-size monkeys found in South America and Central America. They are long-lived, clever and learn new behaviors from each other. One group of capuchins in Panama has even learned to use stone tools to crack open nuts and seafood. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Goldsborough and other researchers at Max Planck and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute had set up more than 80 cameras to study capuchin tool use, but were surprised to see the first howler babies appear in early 2022. The footage showed the capuchins walking and pounding their stone tools with baby howlers on their backs. But cameras did not capture the moments of abduction, which scientists said likely happened up in the trees, where howlers spend most of their time. 'Our window into this story is constrained,' said co-author Margaret Crofoot of Max Planck and the Smithsonian. The findings were published Monday in the journal Current Biology. In most or all cases, the baby howlers died, researchers said. Infant howler monkeys would normally be carried by their mothers while still nursing. All the babies in the video — from a few weeks to a few months in age — were too young to be weaned. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'A hopeful part of me wants to believe some escaped and went back to their mothers, but we don't know,' said Crofoot. The videos recorded a few instances of young capuchin males still carrying howler babies that had died, likely from starvation. Many animals — from gorillas to orcas — have been observed carrying their own dead offspring, though scientists aren't sure the reasons. Why did the capuchin males do it? There were no signs of deliberate aggression toward the babies and they weren't eaten, ruling out predation. 'We've all spent hours wracking our brains why they would do this,' said Goldsborough. The first baby-snatcher may have had a confused 'caring motivation,' or parental instinct, because he showed gentleness interacting with the infants, she said. Then four other males copied his actions. The researchers said they don't believe the capuchins harmed the babies on purpose. So far, only one group of capuchins has been known to kidnap. The research shows the 'remarkable behavioral variation across social groups of the same species,' said Catherine Crockford, a primatologist at the CNRS Institute for Cognitive Sciences in France, who was not involved in the study.
