Abstract
ALL known reports of tool use in wild and captive primates have been listed in two reviews1,2. Whereas agonistic tool using has been reported in many species of primates, observations of non-agonistic tool use by wild primates are surprisingly rare. Of the eleven reports of such tool use cited by Kortlandt and Kooij2, six involved apes, and of the others concerning monkeys, only one instance of the cleaning of food with leaves or other material is mentioned. A squirrel monkey swept the food over the ground with a stick, to dislodge ants. There are very few known reports of such treatment of food before eating. Crook (personal communication) has observed the cleaning of prickly pear (Opuntia) fruit by Doguera baboons, Papio doguera, in Ethiopia. The fruits are often rolled to and fro on patches of dry earth—evidently to remove the spines. Vevers and Weiner3 discussed the use of a heavy bone by a captive Capuchin to crack nuts. Kawamura4 has described the “sub-culture propagation” of potato washing in a troop of Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hall, K. R. L., Curr. Anthropol., 4, 479 (1963).
Kortlandt, A., and Kooij, M., Symp. Zool. Soc., London, 10, 61 (1963).
Vevers, G. M.,and Weiner, J. S., Symp. Zool. Soc., London, 10, 115 (1963).
Kawamura, S., Primates, 2, 43 (1959).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
CHIANG, M. Use of Tools by Wild Macaque Monkeys in Singapore. Nature 214, 1258–1259 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/2141258a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2141258a0
This article is cited by
-
Interaction-Mediated Tool Use Differently Enhances Physical and Social Cognition in Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
International Journal of Primatology (2023)
-
Extractive foraging and tool-aided behaviors in the wild Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosus)
Primates (2018)
-
Tool-use learning in Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana)
Animal Cognition (2005)
-
Responses to a snake model in captive crab-eating macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella)
International Journal of Primatology (1991)
-
Development of tool use in a macaque and a gorilla
Primates (1988)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.