Cooperative rescue of a juvenile capuchin (Cebus imitator) from a Boa constrictor

Abstract

The threat of predation by snakes is considered to have played a significant role in the evolution of primate sensory systems and behavior. However, we know relatively little about individual and group responses given the rarity of observed predation events. Here we report an observed (filmed) predation attempt by an adult Boa constrictor (~ 2 m) on a juvenile white-faced capuchin (Cebus imitator) in the Sector Santa Rosa of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The snake caught the juvenile monkey on the ground during a terrestrial play session. When the victim screamed, the alpha male, alpha female, and another adult female ran to the scene, physically attacked the snake (with bites and hits), and pulled the victim to safety. Most group members participated in the vocal mobbing of the snake both during and after the attack. Based on the outcomes of this predation attempt and published reports of other B. constrictor attacks on primates, the coordinated efforts of ≥ 2 group members is needed for a successful rescue. This observation adds to our growing knowledge of cooperative group behavior and its importance in predator defense.

Male anti‐predation services in primates as costly signalling? A comparative analysis and review

“…Fourth, the riskiest forms of anti‐predation behaviour, counter‐attacks aimed at hunting predators, also involve the participation of non‐sires. In one case, a white‐faced capuchin male played a major role in wresting a juvenile from a snake, even though the victim was born well before he entered the group (Jack et al, 2020). Other counter‐attacks involve many males (Boesch, 1991; Cowlishaw, 1994), and it is unlikely these males had all sired offspring, let alone done so equally.…”

Estado de conservación, sexo y tamaño corporal de reptiles en Santiago Nonualco, El Salvador

“…Esto a nivel comunitario representaría una estrategia para facilitar la segregación en el uso del espacio o el alimento (Medina-Rangel & Cárdenas-Árevalo, 2015). En cambio, las especies de tamaño grande, aunque siempre tienden a ser menos abundantes, se les asocia a ambientes conservados y complejos donde los recursos como el alimento les sea factible de conseguir (Lynch, 2012;Jack et al, 2020) y presentan un ámbito hogareño mayor (Morales-Mávil et al, 2001).…”

Mobbing in animals: A thorough review and proposed future directions

“…It predicts that mobbing the predator that has caught a relative or group member will distract the predator, allowing the captive individual to escape. Mobbing a predator that has caught a group/family member has been observed in the wild (Crofoot, 2012;Jack et al, 2020) and predator mounts with 'captured' prey (both dead and alive) are used to elicit mobbing behavior in prey (Barash, 1976;Carlson, Pargeter, & Templeton, 2017;Chu, 2001). Mobbing events elicited by mounts with 'captured prey can be more intense than when encountering a predator alone (e.g., larger mobbing groups, louder mobbing calls, more swoops at the predator (Barash, 1976;Conover, 1987;Crofoot, 2012;Jack et al, 2020).…”