{"id":1108,"date":"2026-08-08T18:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-08-08-primate-animal-friendships-en\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:20:00","slug":"2026-08-08-primate-animal-friendships-en","status":"publish","type":"briefing","link":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-08-08-primate-animal-friendships-en\/","title":{"rendered":"Monkeys hug and care for other animals: 427 cases reviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>2026-08-08 18:20 KST<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Researchers compiled 427 cases in which monkeys and apes played with, groomed, held or carried animals of other species. Dogs, deer, pigs and birds appeared among the partners.<\/p>\n<p>This does not prove that primates keep pets in the human sense. It suggests that curiosity, tolerance and caregiving across species may have deep evolutionary roots.<\/p>\n<h2>Who interacted with whom?<\/h2>\n<p>The review covered 88 primate species and 127 partner species. Play was recorded 139 times and grooming 136 times. Young primates played most, while adult females groomed more often.<\/p>\n<h2>Was there an obvious reward?<\/h2>\n<p>Mixed-species groups can help with food or safety, but some primates cuddled, carried and rested with other animals without a clear practical reward.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/primate-animal-friendships-en.jpg\" alt=\"Illustration of primates interacting peacefully with deer, dogs and pigs\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><figcaption class=\"op-briefing-image-caption\">ONEPRESS generated illustration of cross-species affiliative behavior, not a specific observation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Was every encounter friendly?<\/h2>\n<p>No. Rough handling and apparent abduction also occurred, and 13 partner animals died. The authors caution against simply projecting human pet relationships onto every case.<\/p>\n<h2>Why does it matter?<\/h2>\n<p>Caregiving and playful interest in another species may predate humans. The patterns could also help zoos and sanctuaries manage mixed-species groups more safely.<\/p>\n<h2>Official primary sources<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ox.ac.uk\/news\/2026-07-29-monkey-friendships-with-dogs-deer-and-pigs-offer-clues-to-the-evolutionary-origins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Primary source: Oxford University official research release<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10329-026-01281-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Primary source: Primates original research article<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/42479284\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Primary source: PubMed research record<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Researchers compiled 427 cases of primates playing with, grooming and carrying other species. This is not proof that they keep pets like humans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-1108","briefing","type-briefing","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing\/1108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/briefing"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}