Urbanization does not increase "object curiosity" in vervet monkeys, but semi-urban individuals selectively explore food-related anthropogenic items.

ABSTRACT: Urban environments expose animals to abundant anthropogenic materials and foods that facilitate foraging innovations in species with opportunistic diets and high behavioral flexibility. Neophilia and exploration tendency are believed to be important behavioral traits for animals thriving in urban environments. Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) are one of few primate species that have successfully adapted to urban environments, thus making them an ideal species to study these traits. Using a within-species cross-habitat approach, we compared neophilia and exploration of novel objects (jointly referred to as "object curiosity") between semi-urban, wild, and captive monkeys to shed light on the cognitive traits facilitating urban living. To measure "object curiosity," we exposed

SUBMITTER: Ellington L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11255996 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature