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Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds

Research in Brazil observed the primates targeting lizards and rodents, with males hunting more often than females.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds

What this story says

  • Capuchin monkeys hunt small animals, including lizards and rodents, when plant foods are less accessible.
  • Male capuchin monkeys hunt prey more often and target more dangerous animals than females.
  • The monkeys prioritise fat-dense tissues, preferring the brains and guts of their prey.
  • The findings, from research in Brazil, may offer insights into the predatory habits of early human ancestors.

Who covered it

Left 13%(6)Centre 56%(29)Right 31%(15)

Percentages are shares of the 50 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 6 of the 56 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

50/100

Craft

60/100

Hype

20/100

56 sources · methodology

Bearded capuchin monkeys hunt small animals when plant foods are scarce, according to research published in the journal PLOS One. The study observed two groups of these monkeys in Fazenda Boa Vista, Brazil, between 2006 and 2010. Researchers documented 446 instances of the monkeys eating small animals, primarily lizards and rodents. The findings suggest this behaviour may mirror habits of early human ancestors.

Male capuchin monkeys were observed hunting prey more frequently and targeting more dangerous animals, such as snakes, compared to females. The monkeys tended to prefer the brains and guts of their prey, prioritising fat-dense tissues. The frequency of hunting increased when plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, were less accessible.

Coverage comparison

The study was conducted by researchers from Sapienza University of Rome and Gorongosa National Park. It was published in PLOS One. The research observed two groups of bearded capuchins in Fazenda Boa Vista, Brazil, between 2006 and 2010.

Omissions

None of the right-rated digests mention that the monkeys tend to prefer the brains and guts of prey, prioritising fat-dense tissues. None of the centre-rated digests mention that the monkeys tend to prefer the brains and guts of prey, prioritising fat-dense tissues. None of the left-rated digests mention that the monkeys tend to prefer the brains and guts of prey, prioritising fat-dense tissues.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 7 times, most recently on 28 Aug 2026, 17:30, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

6 rated outlets

  • Six left-rated reports mentioned that male capuchin monkeys hunt prey more often and go after more dangerous prey such as snakes. These reports included the Watauga Democrat, El Paso Inc., Daily Post-Athenian, The Laconia Daily Sun, Fairfield Sun Times, and ashepostandtimes.com. The El Paso Inc. and Fairfield Sun Times digests also noted that the monkeys hunt animals like lizards and snakes when fruit is scarce.

Centre

29 rated outlets

  • Nine centre-rated reports highlighted that male capuchin monkeys hunt prey more often and go after more dangerous prey such as snakes. These outlets included Phys.org, studyfinds.com, KULR-TV, ABC FOX Montana, KTEN, InsideNoVA.com, Columbia Gorge News, and Floyd Chronicle & Times. The Phys.org full report stated that the monkeys hunt prey when fruits and vegetables become scarce, potentially mirroring the habits of human ancestors. It also noted that males hunted more often and went after more dangerous prey like snakes.

Right

15 rated outlets

  • Seven right-rated reports mentioned that male capuchin monkeys hunt prey more often and go after more dangerous prey such as snakes. These outlets were Times of India, The Herald Palladium, The Elkhart Truth, Webster County Citizen, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, The Mountain Press, and The Sanford Herald. The Times of India digest noted that adult males were observed hunting vertebrates more often.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds?
Of the 50 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 13% are rated left, 56% are rated centre, 31% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 56. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 50 rated outlets on this story, 13% are rated left, 56% are rated centre, 31% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds biased?
Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds is one event reported by 56 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered Capuchin monkeys hunt prey when plant foods are scarce, study finds?
56 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What do capuchin monkeys eat when plant foods are scarce?
When fruits and vegetables are scarce, capuchin monkeys hunt and eat small animals, primarily lizards and rodents. They tend to prefer the fat-dense brains and guts of their prey.
Do male and female capuchin monkeys hunt differently?
Yes, male capuchin monkeys hunt prey more often and target more dangerous animals, such as snakes, compared to females. This difference was observed during research in Brazil.
Where was the study on capuchin monkey hunting conducted?
The study was conducted in Fazenda Boa Vista, Brazil, observing two groups of bearded capuchin monkeys between 2006 and 2010. The research was published in the journal PLOS One.

Read it at the source

56 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

6

Centre

29
Show 21 more

Right

15
Show 7 more

Not rated

6

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

Capuchin monkeys hunt prey | MediaBias News