Female Monkeys Attract Mates by Throwing Stones
- 10 years ago
Researchers from the University of Durham in the United Kingdom and the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil studying the social lives of bearded capuchin monkeys in Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil noticed that the female of the species try to attract a mate by throwing rocks at him to get attention.
Researchers from the University of Durham in the United Kingdom and the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil studying the social lives of bearded capuchin monkeys in Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil noticed that the females try to attract mates by throwing rocks at them to get their attention.
Female monkeys of other species have noticeable physical indications that they are ready to mate, like swelling genitals or a strong odor, but female capuchins rely on changes in their behavior to attract a mate.
The females were recorded pouting their lips, making high pitched noises, or touching their desired mate and then quickly running away.
This kind of behavior escalates into the females throwing stones at the males.
Recorded for the joint BBC and Discovery Channel series Wild Brazil, the researchers were able to capture this unusual mating ritual for the first time.
Experts believe that the stone throwing is limited to the bearded capuchin monkey population in the Serra da Capivara National Park because the females stay with their own group, unlike the males who travel between groups and might have a cross influence on behavior.
Researchers from the University of Durham in the United Kingdom and the University of Sao Paolo in Brazil studying the social lives of bearded capuchin monkeys in Serra da Capivara National Park, Brazil noticed that the females try to attract mates by throwing rocks at them to get their attention.
Female monkeys of other species have noticeable physical indications that they are ready to mate, like swelling genitals or a strong odor, but female capuchins rely on changes in their behavior to attract a mate.
The females were recorded pouting their lips, making high pitched noises, or touching their desired mate and then quickly running away.
This kind of behavior escalates into the females throwing stones at the males.
Recorded for the joint BBC and Discovery Channel series Wild Brazil, the researchers were able to capture this unusual mating ritual for the first time.
Experts believe that the stone throwing is limited to the bearded capuchin monkey population in the Serra da Capivara National Park because the females stay with their own group, unlike the males who travel between groups and might have a cross influence on behavior.