what is this mangabey doing?
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by
Snorticus
#mangabey is rolling a round fruit on the ground for what reason? ACP0003t6y continues in ACP0003t6z
Posted
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by
ksigler
moderator
Just a guess, but maybe it's trying to clean something off the outside? Or maybe rolling on the ground helps to loosen the fruit from the husk? I don't know, but it's interesting, especially since we haven't seen more of it.
Posted
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MimiA
scientist, moderator
Great observation thanks for pointing it out!
I have asked two experts (Christophe Boesch and Alex Mielke) and here are the answers:
My guess, as the video is not so clear, is that they roll the fruits to remove some dirt or insect on the fruit and then want to eat it. My guess would be that it is Mammea africana that is very sweet inside and he bites a piece off at the end.
by the way he comes down the tree and the frantic rolling, and because he tries to clean his hands afterwards rather than the fruit, I would bet that there are driver ants or some other biting insect on that fruit and he tries to remove them while being bitten himself. They do clean some fruits by rubbing it on branches if they have inedible hair, and they roll caterpillar for the same reason, but this doesn't seem to be the case here. The only other thing I could think of is that it is covered in some sticky substance, eg sap, because they clean their hands like that if they get sticky, but he looks a bit too haunted for that. I would go with ants.
Posted
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by
Snorticus
in response to MimiA's comment.
Thanks for that info, he does look somewhat frantic but intent on keeping that prize fruit as he grabs it up with his teeth when the other mangabey approaches. I like the ant theory.
Posted