Soil-eating by Alouatta and Ateles

Abstract

Among 12 species of New World monkeys studied in La Macarena Region and the River Caquetá basin of Colombia, only Alouatta seniculus and Ateles belzebuth were frequently observed to eat soil. They do this at particular sites on the ground called "salados" by local people. They also eat termite nests found on tree trunks. Only Ateles drink the water of salado sites. The chemical properties of 17 soil samples and 5 water samples were analyzed. The results are discussed in relation to the question of why Alouatta and Ateles eat soil. © 1993 Plenum Publishing Corporation.