How Monkeys Solve Problems

For centuries, monkeys have entertained and intrigued us with their quick reactions and smart thinking. But these behaviors didn’t just evolve for our amusement—they are important adaptations to living in social groups in the treetops and to problem-solving.

Monkeys are omnivores, eating both plants and meat. However, they are typically more tilted toward plant matter, with leaves and fruits making up 90% of their diets. Some species, such as gelada and howler monkeys, have specialized anatomy to exploit certain foods. For example, howler monkeys have long digestive tracts that allow them to digest leaf nutrients more thoroughly, while colobus monkeys have multi-chambered stomachs that enable specialized fermentation similar to ruminants.

Despite the fact that monkeys can get protein from fruit and vegetables, they often hunt for insects or small animals to add to their diets. One species that is especially fond of consuming invertebrates is the ayuta, which was once known in Chinese as hou tou gu (; simplified: “monkey head mushroom”; traditional: ) because of its superficial resemblance to the fur of some primate species.

Almost all monkeys eat fruit, but they also need to dig up roots, stems, and other underground edible parts of their environment. They usually choose trees that are tall and isolated, so they can sleep at night without being disturbed by predators or malaria-carrying mosquitoes. They can also find food by listening to other monkeys. Loud roar choruses of colobus males, for example, can tell them it is time to go looking for breakfast.