Monkey See, Monkey Do.

One of the cutest things a titi monkey will do is eat a mango.  Watching those furry little primates nibble away at such an ill-proportioned snack (big fruit/small monkey) can turn even the frowniest frown upside down.  So, of course, my stubborn monkeys had yet to choose that particular fruit as one of their mid-morning or late afternoon meals…..that is, until last week.  It was a Wednesday, it was 8:30 am, and I was hungry.  I reach into my bag and pull out a freshly ripened mango.  Clearly it’s mango season here in Santa Cruz.  Mangos are everywhere.  Mangos in the grocery store, mangos on the street corners, mangos in our backyard.  You can’t get mangos like this (and by that, I mean you can’t get mangos at these prices) back in the States, and I am taking full advantage of this mango crop.  Anyways, so I eat a mango in the field.  Right in front of my monkeys.  I watched them eat their not-so-tasty Sapotaceae fruits, and they watched me eat my mango.  Monkey heads were cocked, but all in all nothing too out of the ordinary, behaviorally speaking.

That was Wednesday.  What happens Thursday morning?  Those silly titis went straight to the neighborhood mango tree and feasted on fruits for about thirty minutes.  Now, I’m not going to take all the credit for pointing them in the direction of this new-found favorite treat, but it does seem eerily similar to a “monkey see/monkey do” type situation.  Like Wednesday they all got together and said, “Hey look there, she’s eating one of those fruits from that tree we never go to...maybe we should check it out.”  You’re welcome, titi monkeys. 

Resting after a mango feast

Whether or not it had anything to do with my mango-eating habits, I’m just excited it finally did happen.  I’VE BEEN WAITING THREE MONTHS FOR THIS.  Absolutely precious.  Monkeys and mangos…it doesn’t get much more adorable than that.  


FUN SCIENCE FACT #21:  The first turkey was domesticated in Mexico/Central Amerca.  Yes, I realize that fact leans more toward the fun than the science, but today is Thanksgiving....so you get a Thanksgiving fact.  Also you get my "what I am thankful for" list: family, friends, titi monkeys, mangos, and silpanchos (an American's Bolivian version of a Thanksgiving feast.  Hey, we work with what we've got here).