Monkeys may teach us about climate disasters

Monkeys may teach us about climate disasters


For decades, Monkey Island near Puerto Rico has been home to 1,700 rhesus macaques [RĒ-sus muh-CӐX] in a sort of natural laboratory where the monkeys roam free. Each day, researchers arrive to gather biologic and behavioral data.

The monkeys have a rigid social hierarchy, forming strong bonds with some but showing aggression to others.

That all changed in 2017 when Hurricane Maria destroyed most of the island’s lush foliage. All but 50 of the monkeys survived by adapting to their new environment and showing tolerance to other monkeys. But tests showed that their immune systems had aged nearly 2 years since the storm.

Rhesus macaques share most of our DNA, so scientists want to know what this might mean for humans facing climate disasters.

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