Monkeys have found a bizarre natural supplement to counteract human junk food
BBC Science Focus Magazine • • world
Key Points:
- Gibraltar macaques have developed a habit of eating soil, or geophagy, likely to mitigate digestive issues caused by consuming human junk food such as ice cream and cookies.
- Researchers observed that macaques in tourist-heavy areas engaged in soil-eating significantly more often, with an average of 12 times per week, compared to those with no access to tourists who did not exhibit this behavior.
- The soil consumption is believed to help buffer the digestive system against high-calorie, low-fiber snacks by limiting absorption of harmful compounds and possibly providing beneficial bacteria for the gut microbiome.
- This behavior contrasts with their natural diet of herbs, leaves, seeds, and insects, and is uncommon among their North African Barbary macaque relatives, suggesting it is a response to human influence.
- The study underscores the broader impact of human activity on wildlife behavior and culture, using Gibraltar’s macaques as a case study of the human-primate interface.
