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Letter: Letters: Macaque mafiosi

Published 6 February 1993

From TORIX BENNETT

I was interested to read that macaque monkeys, if defeated, will take
revenge on a relative of their enemies (New Scientist, Science, 16 January),
but I noted that the study was done on a group of macaques in Rome Zoo.

The mafioso, vendetta-style revenge on the families is intriguing –
I postulate that had a similar study been conducted at London Zoo, the defeated
macaques would have turned away with a quizzical look as though to ‘partake
was enough’.

Torix Bennett Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire

Issue no. 1859 published 6 February 1993

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