Curr Biol May 2025 PMID 40393397

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction.

Zoë Goldsborough, Margaret C Crofoot, Odd T Jacobson, Lisa Corewyn, Evelyn Del Rosario-Vargas, Julián León, Brendan J Barrett

Mentions

441
Peak: 30 in May 2025
across 6 sources since May 2025

Extended reach

453,596
potential audience

Total likes

108

Video views

10,526

Mentions per month

May 2025 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News386 articles
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  • YouTube4 videos
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  • Facebook3 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions reflect skepticism and curiosity, with comments like 'you're laughing,' highlighting emotional reactions and amusement, while others mention boredom or the behavioral process, suggesting a mix of superficial engagement and interest in the scientific implications.

AgreementLow agreement

Most discussions express surprise or skepticism about the idea that animal behaviors could form cultural traditions like humans, indicating slight disagreement with the idea that this behavior is intentional or culturally significant.

InterestModerate interest

The discussions show curiosity about animal behaviors and social traditions, though some dismiss the topic as bizarre or humorous.

EngagementModerate engagement

People are engaging by sharing examples and reacting emotionally—some find it amusing, others upset or confused—demonstrating moderate involvement with the topic.

ImpactNeutral impact

The discussions raise awareness about animal behavior and challenge assumptions about cultures, but do not seem to significantly influence scientific perspectives or policies at this point.

Abstract in brief

  • Cultural traditions without clear purpose are common in humans, and this study explores if similar conditions apply to non-human animals, specifically focusing on how capuchin monkeys have developed a unique tradition of stealing howler monkey infants.
  • Over 15 months on Jicarón island in Panama, researchers observed immature male capuchins abducting eleven howler monkey infants, demonstrating the emergence of this new behavior from a single innovator to others in the group.
  • The study suggests that the social and ecological factors that encouraged beneficial behaviors like tool use also contributed to the formation of this seemingly non-adaptive tradition of interspecies abduction.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Ecology of Animal Societies
@livingingroups · X

Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Current Biology (https://t.co/tbEcDOcG61) we document a bizarre tradition: interspecies infant abduction. Interactive timeline (https://t.co/RN8YC3k9sB)

May 19, 2025 · 35 likes · 17 shares · 1,935 followers View post →
Saber Atualizado
@AtualizadoSaber · X

(1) Publicação do estudo Goldsborough et al. (2025). Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction. Current Biology, Volume 35, Issue 10. https://t.co/sL0L2Zb17F > Referência adicional: https://t.co/CCN7pvUYMN

May 20, 2025 · 24 likes · 30,182 followers View post →
Alfons López Tena
@alfonslopeztena · X

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction—Adolescent capuchins kidnap out of boredom the offspring of howler monkeys, who die days later amid neglect and curiosity of captors. Initiated by a young primate, it was imitated by others https://t.co/3xhPAmTEwy

May 21, 2025 · 2 likes · 3 shares · 188,348 followers View post →
A.P. Bielokozovitsch
@sudovite · X

https://t.co/TsyLpAjRVN

May 21, 2025 · 1 like · 267 followers View post →
kate k
@kathrwn.bsky.social · Bluesky

you're laughing. a gang of 5 capuchin monkeys kidnapped and imprisoned 11 baby howler monkeys on jicarón island and you're laughing. (from "Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction" in @currentbiology.bsky.social )

May 21, 2025 · 1 like View post →
BehavEcolPapers
@behavecolpapers.bsky.social · Bluesky

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction CurrentBiology

May 24, 2025 · 1 like View post →

All mentions

Cleve Hicks
@Cleve_Hicks · X

https://t.co/8ZRor1Pffe

Aug 12, 2025 · 1,946 followers View post →
Nia
@Itsnialopez · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

Jul 13, 2025 · 17 shares · 511 followers View post →
Sociedad Colombiana de Mastozoología - SCMas
@SCMas2 · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

Jul 12, 2025 · 17 shares · 1,324 followers View post →
Bastien Meunier
@MeunierBastien5 · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 26, 2025 · 17 shares · 40 followers View post →
BehavEcolPapers
@behavecolpapers.bsky.social · Bluesky

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction CurrentBiology

May 25, 2025 View post →
Life Science Journal Content
@lsn_jc · X

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction #science #publication #research #journal https://t.co/71EjB80gGj

May 24, 2025 · 265 followers View post →
BehavEcolPapers
@behavecolpapers.bsky.social · Bluesky

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction CurrentBiology

May 24, 2025 · 1 like View post →
Nerry
@neric16 · X

RT @alfonslopeztena: Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction—Adolescent capuchins kidnap out of boredom the offspri…

May 21, 2025 · 3 shares · 3,065 followers View post →
Alfons López Tena
@alfonslopeztena · X

RT @alfonslopeztena: Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction—Adolescent capuchins kidnap out of boredom the offspri…

May 21, 2025 · 3 shares · 188,348 followers View post →
kate k
@kathrwn.bsky.social · Bluesky

you're laughing. a gang of 5 capuchin monkeys kidnapped and imprisoned 11 baby howler monkeys on jicarón island and you're laughing. (from "Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction" in @currentbiology.bsky.social )

May 21, 2025 · 1 like View post →
Julian4ик
@juliancik · X

RT @alfonslopeztena: Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction—Adolescent capuchins kidnap out of boredom the offspri…

May 21, 2025 · 3 shares · 862 followers View post →
Alfons López Tena
@alfonslopeztena · X

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction—Adolescent capuchins kidnap out of boredom the offspring of howler monkeys, who die days later amid neglect and curiosity of captors. Initiated by a young primate, it was imitated by others https://t.co/3xhPAmTEwy

May 21, 2025 · 2 likes · 3 shares · 188,348 followers View post →
varot tejavanija
@VTejavanija · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 21, 2025 · 17 shares · 25 followers View post →
Diego J. Lizcano
@dlizcano · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 21, 2025 · 17 shares · 1,764 followers View post →
A.P. Bielokozovitsch
@sudovite · X

https://t.co/TsyLpAjRVN

May 21, 2025 · 1 like · 267 followers View post →
Saber Atualizado
@AtualizadoSaber · X

(1) Publicação do estudo Goldsborough et al. (2025). Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction. Current Biology, Volume 35, Issue 10. https://t.co/sL0L2Zb17F > Referência adicional: https://t.co/CCN7pvUYMN

May 20, 2025 · 24 likes · 30,182 followers View post →
AmerindianAutist
@nphuthanh123 · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 101 followers View post →
Nishitani, H
@nhwin11 · X

めちゃ自分の研究内容と似たテーマの論文がでてしまった… Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction: Current Biology https://t.co/0z8sm8o6cx

May 20, 2025 · 45 followers View post →
zbengel
@balthoux · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 33 followers View post →
Andy_Weeble_Weaver
@AndrewW66619812 · X

The paper in "Current Biology" the above "AP News" article is based upon, & links to: “Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction” 2/2 https://t.co/Y8hXpxAwdo

May 20, 2025 · 4,317 followers View post →
Niespika
@niespika · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 561 followers View post →
T.J. Clark-Wolf
@tjclarkwolf · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 669 followers View post →
Roland Kays
@RolandKays · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 8,684 followers View post →
Guy Theraulaz
@GTheraulaz · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 2,279 followers View post →
Société française de Zoosémiotique
@SfZoosemiotique · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 20, 2025 · 17 shares · 1,431 followers View post →
Supravat Mahata
@SupravatMahata · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 19, 2025 · 17 shares · 12 followers View post →
Uddalak Tathagato Bindhani | উদ্দালক
@utb_xiii · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 19, 2025 · 17 shares · 103 followers View post →
Meg Crofoot
@MegCrofoot · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 19, 2025 · 17 shares · 1,758 followers View post →
M.Safa Karagoez
@mskaragoez · X

Rise and spread of a social tradition of interspecies abduction What motivates the carriers? ‘boredom’ https://t.co/9kQedBMmen

May 19, 2025 · 2,003 followers View post →
Eduardo Sampaio
@OctoEduardo · X

RT @livingingroups: Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Cur…

May 19, 2025 · 17 shares · 1,592 followers View post →
Ecology of Animal Societies
@livingingroups · X

Humans have many unusual traditions. But did you know animals’ strange behaviors can become culture too? Out now in Current Biology (https://t.co/tbEcDOcG61) we document a bizarre tradition: interspecies infant abduction. Interactive timeline (https://t.co/RN8YC3k9sB)

May 19, 2025 · 35 likes · 17 shares · 1,935 followers View post →