Scientists Are “Shocked” After Hidden Camera Catches Monkeys Kidnapping Babies Of Another Species

According to the Three Wise Monkeys, it’s best to see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil.

Except that’s not at all what’s happening with a group of capuchin monkeys on an island in Panama who appear to be kidnapping the babies of another monkey species.

Scientists are bewildered by the behavior and are looking for answers.

Monkeys were seen kidnapping monkeys of another species in a hidden camera video

A capuchin monkey in a green forest, linked to scientists shocked by hidden camera monkey kidnapping evidence.

Image credits: David M. Jensen / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)

Researchers with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Germany, as well as those from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, recently observed some strange animal behavior in a group of capuchin monkeys.

They had set up several cameras on Jicarón Island, about 55 kilometers, or 34 miles, off the coast of Panama in Coiba National Park, to observe a group of capuchins, known for their white faces and cunning intelligence. 

In hours of video footage, the researchers discovered that a group of adolescent male capuchins were walking off with the babies of another separate monkey species. 

“Monkey see, monkey do” is a possible explanation for why monkeys are kidnapping other monkeys in Panama

Monkey captured by hidden camera in forest, showcasing unusual behavior involving babies of another species.

Image credits: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Meg Crofoot, the managing director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior said that when she saw a pic of the howler clinging to the capuchin, she thought: “What? What is going on here? It looked so weird. It looked so wrong.”

It all started with one capuchin the researchers named Joker, after the Batman villain, because of a scar near his mouth. 

Researchers saw Joker walk off with baby after baby. At first, they thought it might have been a mistake. But then other capuchins started to copy Joker. 

“Curious and innovative” capuchin monkeys kidnap howler monkeys in Panama

Monkeys captured on hidden camera kidnapping babies of another species in a forested area at night.

Image credits: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Howler monkeys live in trees, and since the cameras were set up on the ground, the actual abductions were not recorded. 

One of the scientists who helped publish the findings, Brendan Barrett, told the media that capuchins are smart and curious.

“They’re highly innovative, they’re highly explorative,” Barrett said. “They do interesting, strange things.”

Infant howler monkeys perish from starvation after being kidnapped by capuchin monkeys

 

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Researchers saw that the howlers, who were just a few days or weeks old, would grasp onto their abductors, not realizing what was happening. 

The capuchins, meanwhile, seemed not to notice—or care—that they had just stolen a baby.

In many cases, the capuchins would basically ignore the howler clinging to its back, until it simply fell off and perished from starvation.  

Barrett said the baby howlers “are likely d*ing from dehydration or lack of nutrition,” and that there were several dead howler babies seen in the video.

Scientists look for answers as to why monkeys are stealing other baby monkeys

Hidden camera footage shows monkeys kidnapping babies of another species in dense forest environment.

Image credits: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Monkey and baby in tree captured by hidden camera shock scientists with kidnapping behavior of another species.

Image credits: Rhododendrites / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)

Of course the big question stumping researchers is—why? Why would the capuchins do such a thing? Was it because they wanted babies of their own? 

Researchers say this kind of thing does happen, where a female monkey without a child of her own kidnaps another monkey’s baby. 

But first, these are male capuchins, and second, they don’t interact with the howlers. 

Monkey-on-monkey kidnappings in Panama could just be a passing fad, scientists say

Nighttime hidden camera captures monkeys kidnapping babies of another species in dense forest foliage.

Image credits: natgeo / Instagram

Monkeys captured on hidden camera in the wild, showing behavior of kidnapping babies of another species.

Image credits: Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior / YouTube

Researchers say it could just be a fad—something the capuchins do because they’re bored or looking for something risky or exciting to get into.

Zoë Goldsborough with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior says, “I was shocked. I realized that it was really something that we hadn’t seen before.”

Researchers say that, for now, it appears that only one group of capuchins are kidnapping howlers.

If the capuchins were in fact just horsing around, looking for a distraction, or copying their peers, it wouldn’t be the first time such behavior was displayed in the animal kingdom.

A pod of killer whales were famously seen with dead salmon on their heads. Was it a snack or just for fashion? Scientists still aren’t sure!

Check out the moment a male capuchin monkey walks off with an infant howler monkey

Four little monkeys sitting in a tree, one gets abducted, and now there are three

Comment by Olga Makarova suggesting monkeys instinctively steal babies to reduce other species' population and gain more space for themselves.

Comment by Tove Alander describing aggressive behavior of capuchin monkeys, including stealing food and causing harm to other animals.

Comment from user ahrykah questioning if monkeys feed the babies after kidnapping, expressing shock about the behavior captured on hidden camera.

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Comment on a social media post questioning a territorial dispute or retaliation, posted by user aaackjanderson.

Comment on social media praising a video capturing monkeys kidnapping babies of another species, expressing fascination.

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