Monkeys Learn to Fish

I read this news in my local paper last week. Long tailed macaques have a reputation for being highly skilled at finding food. Their food sources are usually fruit, insects, and foraging for crabs near water. No one had ever seen them fish before.

However, in Indonesia, silver haired monkeys were observed doing just that. Not just an isolated incident, but several times over the last 10 years, biologists observed the behavior in these long tailed macaques.

It's exciting to see new behavior in a species long observed. One of the authors of the study, Erik Meijaard with the Nature Conservancy, said "It's exciting that after such a long time, you see new behavior. "It's an indication of how little we know about the species. They are a survivor species, which has the knowledge to cope with difficult conditions. This behavior potentially symbolizes that ecological flexibility."

It shows an ability to adapt to the changing environment and shifting food sources.

They probably fish better than I ever did.

Here's the article.