Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Really, it's not a joke Why did the monkey pee on his feet?
It may seem strange, but many monkeys wash their hands and feet with urine. Researchers now think they know why.

Since this odd behaviour was first observed, explanatory theories have varied wildly from suggesting that it helps monkeys improve their grip when climbing to saying it is a method of cleaning.


Aha, but wait. . . .

Miller and her team noticed a link between urine washing and attention-seeking.

Alpha males, for example, doubled their urine washing rates when being solicited by females. The researchers think this might be how males encourage females to continue paying attention once they've started.


I might try that next time I'm out.

The sad part is, it would probably not hurt. . . . .