This is a monkey that specializes in picking up feathers to floss

Nicobar long-tailed macaque is one of the world's most adaptable animals.

Large Nicobar Island off the coast of India is home to the Nicobar long-tailed macaque (scientific name: Macaca fascicularis umbrosus) . They make the scientists curious because they have learned how to use some tools and techniques to "process food" and even this monkey knows to floss his teeth after eating.

To better understand the behavior and behavior of Nicobar monkeys, Honnavalli Kumara zoologist at Sálim Ali Center for Science and Cells in Coimbatore, India, went to a coastal village on the Big Nicobar Island to follow up. Nicobar long-tailed monkey population.

Nicobar long-tailed macaque.

Nicobar long-tailed monkeys take advantage of everything

Nicobar monkey's favorite food is mainly nuts with spikes or hard shells. To remove the bark, they first wash the seeds and clean them with leaves. They even know how to roll leaves into some foods for easy handling. If the leaves are not found, Nicobar monkeys will use newspaper, cloth or plastic bags to wrap the food.

This monkey also loves to eat coconuts, they pick coconuts by twisting or using teeth to bite off stalks. If the coconut is still young, the Nicobar monkey will fix the coconut with its hands and feet, use the teeth to tear the rind and drink the sweet juice inside.

If you encounter a dry coconut, they will find a firm, hard surface like a rock or concrete, crushing the coconut to the ground and peeling the shell.

Not only taking advantage of rudimentary tools, scientists have seen Nicobar monkeys feed on by shaking bushes to let insects fall off.

Monkeys know oral hygiene

After eating, the Nicobar monkeys from pregnant women to adulthood have a "dental floss" of oral hygiene, which is essentially thin and strong fibers .

From bark, feather, grass, coconut fiber, nylon bag to steel wire . This monkey can be used as a dental floss. Even, there are children who even know how to shred the fibers so that they fit into the teeth.

9 out of 20 Nicobar monkeys often floss their teeth.Nicobar macaque is the third monkey to know oral hygiene : The Nicobar monkey in Japan uses its own feathers, Thai Nicobar monkeys even use human hair.

Nicobar monkeys are able to adapt very well to human landscapes.

The monkey is skillful

Dorothy Fragaszy, a primate researcher at the University of Georgia, Athens, said: "The ability to wash and pack food, use fibers to clean the teeth in Nicobar monkey populations has been recorded".

"Knowing how to shake bushes to catch insects is the latest element to be discovered , " he added.

Nicobar monkeys are able to adapt very well to human landscapes, where they delight in using new objects. Using tools does not require too much brainpower. However, the tool customization shows the intelligence and ingenuity of this monkey.