Gibraltar's Monkeys Eat Soil to Avoid Bellyaches

Monkeys are eating dirt to cope with junk food from tourists

Junk food from tourists is affecting Gibraltar’s monkeys, and scientists say their dirt-eating habit may help protect their digestion.

The real dirt on how these monkeys avoid bellyaches

On the tourist-packed Rock of Gibraltar, one of the most common sights is monkeys begging for food — and sometimes stealing sweet and salty snacks from unsuspecting visitors. Scientists now have documented an unusual behavior among these macaques that may…

Gibraltar's monkeys eat soil to avoid bellyaches

On the tourist-packed Rock of Gibraltar, one of the most common sights is monkeys begging for food — and sometimes stealing sweet and salty snacks from unsuspecting visitors. Scientists now have documented an unusual behavior among these macaques that may…