Capuchin Monkeys Kidnap 11 Infant Howlers in Panama

On Jicarón Island off the coast of Panama, young male white-faced capuchin monkeys have been observed abducting 11 infant howler monkeys over 15 months, a phenomenon first recorded in 2022 by Zoë Goldsborough and colleagues using motion-triggered cameras. The behavior began with a subadult male named Joker and spread to at least four other young males, who carried off the infants without eating or nurturing them, resulting in most dying from neglect, dehydration, or starvation. Unlike rare cases of interspecies adoption or predation, these abductions appear to be a non-utilitarian, socially learned fad. Researchers suggest adolescent curiosity or boredom may have driven the trend, which is unprecedented in its frequency and lethality among wild primates. The findings were published in Current Biology as part of a long-term study initially focused on capuchin tool use. The study raises new questions about animal culture and the transmission of unusual behaviors.