My favorite comment: “Slippery slope, people. First they learn to use our tools, then they come in and take all of our jobs. And then they’ll want healthcare. Between the monkeys and the bloodthirsty robots, I feel disrespected as a hardworking American.”
(via)
You seen the South Park episode? “They took our joooobs!”
Duuuuguuurrr dooooooo
Deh dook err jeerrrbbs!
I watched this the other day. Pretty amazing. It’s also amazing that we’ve been associated with creatures like this for so long and only now are noticing that they actually think.
That is amazingly complex behavior! And to think, we only recently realized any animals other than apes even used tools at all.
Dey tuuk are jobbbbbbbbbsssssssss!!!!!!!!
ps I heart monkeys
They shucked their foods?
I love the 2001 reference with the music.
Reminded me of the other Attenborough programme “Life In The Trees” where he talked about the Japanese macaques, (Macaca fuscata) that taught each other to wash the sweet potatoes that were given to them by researchers.
“One famous example of this is potato washing in a troop of Japanese macaques in Koshima, Japan. When researchers provisioned a troop of Japanese macaques by putting sweet potatos along the beach to bring them out into the open, one macaque began to wash the sand off of her sweet potatoes in the water instead of brushing it off with her hand as other macaques did. Over time, this behavior spread to other members of the troop and was passed on from generation to generation. Interestingly, this potato washing behavior became even more modified as Japanese macaques began washing their sweet potatos in salt water rather than fresh water, apparently to enhance flavor.”
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Macaca_fuscata.html
There’s a good question about whether learning is the same as intelligence. Given that it takes these little guys years to learn this trick, I’d say probably not in this case.
Put a human 10 year old in this situation and see how long it would take them to figure how to find the nut, dry it, then crack it open. Might take them longer than the monkies. ;)
Most of what we know is taught to us. God forbid we lose that knowledge; it would take a LONG time (and the right conditions) to figure it all out again.
I’m not sure there’s any bright line between the two, Custador.
That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen!
Funny, touching and humbling all at the same time.
Such complicated behaviour, taught, learned and coordinated without the use of language.
I foresee all types of Occupational Health and Safety issues though – i mean, no workboots, c’mon!! the monkey union ahould have shut that site down ages ago.
was it just me or did one of those little guys drop the F-bomb when he whacked his nut and it shot out sideways? cracked me up, I swear.
@Rik:
Thanks for the pointer, I have now put that very clip up on the same channel ;) It’s an amazing segment. Snow monkeys washing potatoes
Glad everyone liked this clip, and caught the intent of the videos, to highlight the similar behaviour of humans and our great ape cousins. Here’s hoping a few creationists will get the picture, too, and begin to understand the beauty of reality with the rest of us.