Capuchin Monkeys Hunt Lizards And Snakes When Fruit Becomes Scarce

Capuchin monkeys increasingly hunt small animals such as lizards and snakes when fruit becomes scarce, according to new research published in PLOS One.

Zoologist Noemi Spagnoletti and colleagues analysed more than 5,000 hours of observations from a long-term study in Brazil conducted between 2006 and 2010. Researchers recorded 281 instances of the monkeys hunting and eating vertebrates.

The animals often consumed the brains and internal organs first, apparently seeking fat-rich parts. Monkeys that had to find their own food hunted nearly twice as often as groups that received food from researchers.

Researchers say the findings provide another example of how primates adapt their diets when preferred foods become scarce, potentially offering insights into how early human ancestors may have responded to changing environments.

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When the fruit runs low, some monkeys’ appetite for meat gets a boost. https://t.co/vLQprrP8lz

— Science News (@ScienceNews) August 27, 2026

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