巴拿馬猴子可能已經(jīng)開始了自己的石器時(shí)代

A group of Panamanian monkeys may have entered their own Stone Age, scientists said.

科學(xué)家們?nèi)涨氨硎?，一群巴拿馬猴子可能已經(jīng)進(jìn)化到了它們自己的石器時(shí)代。

A population of white-face capuchin monkeys living on the Panamanian island of Jicarón have been observed using stones to smash open nuts and shellfish, New Scientist reported last Monday.

據(jù)《新科學(xué)家》上周一報(bào)道，一群生活在巴拿馬島的白臉卷尾猴被觀察到用石頭砸開了堅(jiān)果和貝類。

Scientists first made the discovery in 2004, but returned to the island in March 2017 with cameras to catch the monkeys in the act.

科學(xué)家們在2004年首次發(fā)現(xiàn)了這一行為，而在2017年3月，他們帶著相機(jī)回到島上拍攝到了猴子的這種行為。

Scientists do not know when the 6 million-year inhabitants of the island began the practice, but believe the skill was learned "by chance." Scientists said the practice was only evident in a few males.

科學(xué)家們不知道在島上生活了600萬年的猴子是什么時(shí)候開始有這樣的行為的，但他們相信這項(xiàng)技能是“偶然”學(xué)會(huì)的。科學(xué)家表示，這種行為只在少數(shù)雄猴身上體現(xiàn)出來。

No other nearby populations have been observed making use of stones, the report said.

該報(bào)告稱，附近沒有發(fā)現(xiàn)其他使用石頭的種群。

The discovery marks the fourth observed group of non-human primates that have used stones for tools.

這一發(fā)現(xiàn)標(biāo)志著將石頭作為工具使用的第四種非人類靈長類動(dòng)物被成功觀察到。

Other species with similar practices include chimpanzees in West Africa, macaques in Thailand and other species of capuchins in South America, New Scientist reported.

據(jù)《新科學(xué)家》報(bào)道，其他有類似行為的物種還包括西非的黑猩猩、泰國的獼猴以及南美洲其他種類的卷尾猴。

Until a few decades ago, scientists believed humans were the only species that appropriated stones into tools. The Stone Age for humans began 2.5 million years ago.

直到幾十年前，科學(xué)家們還認(rèn)為人類是唯一將石頭當(dāng)做工具的物種。人類的石器時(shí)代始于250萬年前。