So intense is the grief of female monkeys for the loss of their young
that it invariably caused the death of certain kinds kept under
confinement by Brehm in N. Africa. Orphan monkeys were always adopted
and carefully guarded by the other monkeys, both males and females. One
female baboon had so capacious a heart that she not only adopted young
monkeys of other species, but stole young dogs and cats, which she
continually carried about. Her kindness, however, did not go so far as
to share her food with her adopted offspring, at which Brehm was
surprised, as his monkeys always divided everything quite fairly with
their own young ones. An adopted kitten scratched this affectionate
baboon, who certainly had a fine intellect, for she was much astonished
at being scratched, and immediately examined the kitten's feet, and
without more ado bit off the claws.[60] In the Zoological Gardens I
heard from the keeper that an old baboon (C. chacma) had adopted a
Rhesus monkey; but when a young drill and mandrill were placed in the
cage she seemed to perceive that these monkeys, though distinct species,
were her nearer relatives, for she at once rejected the Rhesus and
adopted both of them.
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