Monkeys That Have Been Using Tools For 3000 Years
The existence of tool-using monkeys is already well known to us, and these primates are very intelligent and skilled animals. But more and more studies are trying to understand whether this has been going on for a long time.
A study of tool-using monkeys
Now, a new study has established that capuchin monkey tool use has been going on for more than 3,000 years, which far exceeds previous estimates of 700 years for the Guiana capuchin monkey.
This study, carried out on capuchin monkeys, shows that primates have been using tools for at least 3,000 years, although the number could be even higher.
The study was carried out in the Serra da Capivara National Park, in Brazil. Led by Dr. Tomos Proffitt, the work reveals several phases of the use of tools, something very similar to what happens in human reserves like the one in Atapuerca, Spain.
So, the first phases consist of small tools. However, just 250 years ago a phase began in which the monkeys who use tools in this park began using larger rocks.
It must be remembered that no cumulative culture has been found in any primate other than man. This means that although the tools change, they do not need to be improved, as these animals do not amplify their cultural behaviors like humans.
Meet the monkeys in Brazil
The monkey that has been using tools for 3,000 years is none other than the yellow capuchin monkey ( Sapajus libidinosus ), a primate found only in Brazil.
These primates measure between 30 and 44 centimeters in length, although their tail makes them double in size. This tail is prehensile, which means it can be used to grab objects, as if it were a third arm.
In the case of the yellow capuchin monkey, it feeds mainly on palm fruits and insects. Therefore, the use of tools for these animals is very important to open the fruits.
They are very active during the day and inhabit large territories of approximately 300 hectares, where groups of about nine individuals spend the day looking for food sources. Still, groups of more than 50 specimens were recorded moving from tree to tree.
Unfortunately, capuchin monkeys are one of the primates that suffer most from human action. That’s because we’ve captured them and raised them to have them at home, although the reality is that it’s not allowed to have a monkey as a pet.
For this reason, we must be aware that, although the intelligence of this animal may remind us of a human being, these specimens must remain with their own group, as they are social animals that suffer a lot as when raised as a pet.
