Capuchins Don't Monkey Around

Genesis 3:15
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

We were once told that tool use is what separates man from the animals. Then it was discovered that some animals use tools. Now scientists have learned that these animals do more than just grab something from their surroundings; they look for something that would be needed to do the job.

Primatologists studied tool use and selection among wild capuchin monkeys in Brazil. First, they observed natural tool use among the monkeys. They noticed that when monkeys wanted to crack open a nut they examined several types of stones. When they had a choice between a hard rock or a softer sandstone, which would be likely to break, they preferred the harder stone after examining both rocks.

One monkey was observed examining two stones of the same hardness and then selecting the larger one. Then he placed a palm nut on a fallen log and cracked the nut open with a rock. Stone selection also varied depending on what type of nut was being cracked open.

Man isn’t separated from animals by tool use or making. Rather, he is separated from animals because he was made to have a personal relationship with God. He is also responsible to God for his actions. This is why, when man first sinned, God promised us a Savior Who would show us the way to salvation.

Prayer:
I thank You, Father, that through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I have the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Amen.

Notes:
www.science news.org/view/generic/id/39930, 1/15/09, Bruce Bower, “Capuchin Monkeys Choose The Right Tool For The Nut.” Photo: Wild capuchin monkey in Costa Rica. Courtesy of David M. Jensen. (CC BY-SA 3.0)