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[Josh Greenman <joshg1973 AT yahoo.com>]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3764067.stm

Immigrant monkeys 'make friends' 

Scientists have found how "immigrant" monkeys make friends with other species 
to be
accepted in their new community. 

Research by psychologists at St Andrews University found that the monkeys 
co-existed
successfully and helped defend their neighbours against predators. 

This was despite competing for the same living space and food. 

The work was conducted by Dr Klaus Zuberbuhler of St Andrews over a period of 
two years
in an area of rainforest in West Africa's Ivory Coast. 


Co-operation and co-existence 

Dr Zuberbuhler said: "Our results show that Diana monkeys tolerate immigrating
putty-nosed monkeys and form mixed-species groups with them because of their 
merit in
predation defence. 

"Particularly, male putty-nosed monkeys play a vital role in defence against 
crowned
eagles, suggesting that putty-nosed monkeys obtain access to feeding trees by 
offering
anti-predation benefits to Diana monkeys." 

The scientists tested for levels of co-operation and co-existence between 
forest monkeys.


Because of the merits of warning fellow primates of would-be predators, the 
immigrant
species was welcomed to the existing community. 


Seven species of monkeys managed to co-exist peacefully in the same 
community, although
this meant they had to restrict their living space to separate areas of the 
forest so
they would not be competing for food. 

Dr Zuberbuhler said: "Diana monkeys typically forage in the highest tree 
crowns, while
the closely related Campbell's monkeys exploit the vegetation close to the 
ground. 

"Such niche separation decreases interspecies competition and makes 
co-existence of
closely related species possible." 

The findings of the study are published in the paper "Co-operation and 
competition in two
forest monkeys" in the current issue of Behavioural Ecology.