Monkeys use crafty techniques to get junk food from tourists

image via New Scientist

April 1, 2025, 12:02 PM

• •Hanuman langurs at the Dakshineswar temple complex near Kolkata quietly grab visitors’ legs, tug on their clothes, hold their hands or simply stand up in front of them, often around vendors’ food stands.
• •The wild primates usually continue such begging tactics until they get their particular treat of choice: sweet buns.
• •The monkeys’ behaviour is likely to have evolved as a result of the langurs’ close association with humans and the availability of food at the temple.

Hanuman langurs in India have developed a range of ingenious techniques to acquire food peacefully from devout tourists. They quietly grab visitors' legs, tug on their clothes, hold their hands or simply stand up in front of them, often around vendors' food stands. The wild primates usually continue such begging tactics until they get their particular treat of choice: sweet buns.

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