Monkeys in Gibraltar eat soil to heal from junk food binges: Study
A study has found that Barbary macaques in Gibraltar consume soil to recover from unhealthy diets caused by junk food offered by tourists. The research highlights that this behavior, known as geophagy, is a form of self-medication to alleviate stomach issues from their altered diet. The study indicates that this soil consumption is particularly prevalent during the summer months when tourist activity peaks.
- ▪Barbary macaques in Gibraltar eat soil to recover from junk food binges.
- ▪The study reported geophagy among these monkeys for the first time, linking it to their consumption of human food.
- ▪The behavior was not observed in a group of monkeys without tourist contact, suggesting a strong association with human food.
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Monkeys in Gibraltar eat soil to heal from junk food binges: StudySign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxA young Barbary macaque in Gibraltar on May 6.PHOTO: AFPPublished May 22, 2026, 04:35 PMUpdated May 22, 2026, 04:35 PMGibraltar - A colony of macaques that gorge on snacks offered by tourists in the British territory of Gibraltar swallow soil to recover from their junk food binges, a study has found.Believed to originate from North Africa, the roughly 230 primates are the main attraction in the British exclave of 30,000 people that borders southern Spain, according to the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society.“We are here for the monkeys, to take a look at them, because it’s the only place in Europe where the monkeys are,” Danish visitor Elish, 29, told…
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