Golden lion tamarin monkeys take the safe option when choosing what to feed their young, much like humans, researchers at St Andrews University have discovered.
The animals, part of the Callitrichid primate family, were found to select foods they already knew to be safe to their young.
When offered new or novel foods, the primates were more cautious – only offering it when they were sure it was edible.
Lead researcher Camille Troisi, of the Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution in the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews, said: “Food transfers are more successful if the donor has tried the food before.
“This could be either to make sure the food they are transferring to another individual is eatable, i.e. nutrition, or that they are transferring appropriate information, i.e. teaching.”
