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AnimalsSurprise 5/5Difficulty 4/5Reviewed on September 13, 2026

Capuchin monkeys have been observed abducting baby howler monkeys in the wild.

Why it is true

Biologists documented five male capuchin monkeys carrying at least eleven different infant howler monkeys, a behavior never before seen in wild primates. The study offers the first known documentation of a cultural tradition in which animals repeatedly abduct and carry infants of another species, without any clear benefit to themselves.

Source: Max Planck Institute

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