A Japanese proverb says, "Even monkeys fall from trees," and I mentioned this the other day; what does happen to monkeys in the wild, when they fall? Monkeys break bones, as this article discusses; in the wild, however, surgeons aren't available to repair useless arms.
Nature's brutal, of course, and the obvious answer is that any serious injury shortens a wild animal's life considerably. But we think of monkeys and other primates as being more like us, so I'd like to know: do monkeys take care of each other when they're injured? Do they accommodate their weaker companions, or do they abandon them or prey on them? Anybody know?
Dizzy and I are back in Washington, still waiting to hear about the next step in this process. Frustrating beyond words. I'm working, but feel disconnected and disoriented, distracted by anxiety.
2 comments:
Apparently, according to The Monkey Wars by Deborah Blum, wild monkeys "care for each other, grooming, cleaning each other's wounds, babysitting children." I'm guessing that extends to broken bones, too.
I find that reassuring -- and now I will have to find that book. Thanks, Mike!
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