Environment

Macaques Teach Their Kids to Floss

by Jordan Yerman | March 13, 2009 at 12:45 pm

360 views | 26 Recommendations | 11 comments

Female macaques are very diligent about teaching proper oral hygeine to their kids. This behavior teaches us more about how primates use tools, and how they perceive abstracts.

Furthermore, we get a glimpse at how other species share knowledge beyond pure instinct. However, since macaques don't blog (yet), it's monkey see, monkey do.

Female monkeys in Thailand have been observed showing their young how to floss their teeth - using human hair.

Researchers from Japan said they watched seven long-tailed macaques cleaning the spaces between their teeth in the same manner as humans.

They spent double the amount of time flossing when they were being watched by their infants, the team said.

A follow-up question would be, did macaques figure out how to floss on their own, or did one see a human do it, and then teach his or her fellow macs?

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Amy Judd

at 13:50 on March 13th, 2009

I'm really excited for the day when a Macaque starts a blog...

Ken Clacher

at 14:35 on March 13th, 2009

This shot was taken on a recent trip to India. This macaque was photographed in Bandhavgarh National Park along with a group of about 15. It was taken at the hottest part of the day, so the whole group was lazing about grooming. Great to watch!

Ken Clacher has contributed a photo to this story.

swivelizer

at 18:14 on March 13th, 2009

02/14/09 Taidung Taiwan

swivelizer has contributed a photo to this story.

Pythiian1

at 20:28 on March 13th, 2009

Wonderful piece about macaques.

National Geographic had a program on macaques taking hot spring during winter time; then the ones that wash their potatoes in the sea ...

Darren5907

at 00:24 on March 14th, 2009

This lone macaque was wondering in Telok Blangah Hill Park. Quite a rare sight. I was lucky to get this portrait when it stopped for a while.

Let me know your response.:)

Darren5907 has contributed a photo to this story.

HenryWang

at 03:57 on March 14th, 2009

Scientific name:Macaca cyclopis

English name:Formosan macaque or Formosan rock-monkey

Common name:Taiwanese monkey

The Formosan macaque is originated from Taiwan

HenryWang has contributed a photo to this story.

Mike Riemer

at 03:59 on March 14th, 2009

One of the family of Macaques that ventured into our camp at Uncle Tans jungle adventure in Borneo, playing around, stealing our food and messing around.

Mike Riemer has contributed a photo to this story.