With Earth’s primates being the closest relatives to homo-sapiens (us humans!), looking at their behavior can be insightful and interesting. It can also be a bit unnerving as it is often like looking in a mirror. This cute monkey troop shows how much they care for their babies and the dead.
Langurs are known as “old world monkeys” and have a rich and diverse history.
Langurs are medium-sized primates that exhibit incredible levels of intelligence, They love to eat leaves and form troops that are usually 20-30 individuals strong. While these guys are incredibly cute and funny to watch, some of their behavior can mimic humans!
In a recent test, a robot monkey was placed in their troop.
Scientists wanted to study some of the behaviors of the furry climbers so they developed a robot. This robot was designed to look like a baby langur and had cameras where the eyes traditionally are. The little “spy monkey” was ready to go!
Looking incredibly realistic, the researchers placed the baby while the rest of the troop was sleeping or not paying attention.
With little movement, the robot was able to blink and move its head slightly. Once the rest of the troop noticed the infant, things started to get interesting.
Within these groups, mothers will sometimes adopt infants and raise them.
Like many mothers, these monkey moms will sacrifice their own resources to provide for an infant! In the langur species, mothers will actually recruit help from other moms if they need it!
As the troop starts to play with the robot, it accidentally falls to the ground.
Most baby monkeys have an instinct to hold onto their mothers, stopping them from falling. Since robots don’t have this instinct, the robot fell when one of the mothers was holding it and moving around.
As the baby fell, the entire troop reacted.
The whole group responds when the baby monkey seems to not move. Checking in on it, the group thinks it is seriously injured and start to take care of the little robot. They obviously care for the little guy!
Once the robot stopped moving, the group thinks that the baby had died.
When the realization that the “baby” had died set in, the monkeys react in such human fashion! Taking up the baby and placing it on the ground, the group sits around the robot and mourns their loss!
Gathering around the infant, the troop pays their respects.
The troop circles up and individually walk to the baby to gently touch it. As the “ceremony” continues, the monkeys are visibly grieving and mourning together.
As the troupe grieves, they console each other through grooming and hugs.
Looking eerily similar to a human funeral, the older langurs console the younger ones as they watch the robot baby. An arm placed around the shoulders seems to comfort the grieving monkeys!
Touch seems to be the way to comfort one another as the group grieves.
Like a big chain, they all reach out their hands and simply place it on the person next to them, letting them know they are there. The entire event, if replaced with humans, would be indistinguishable from a true funeral.
As they exhibit emotion, we can learn from them.
Even though the monkeys are mistaken in their grief of a baby dying, they show us something that rings true for us humans. In times of pain or mourning, we just need to know that someone is there.
A cute reminder that empathy is ancient.
We could all use some more empathy in our lives as we go through a tough world!
Check out the video below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
