We often have the impression that monkeys like to do silly things, but several studies have shown that they are endowed with a moral sense.
According to the observations of scientists, chimpanzees have a habit of punishing those who break social rules.
But monkeys are able to behave in far less commendable ways, and many examples of addiction, theft, and even gangster behavior have been found in the wild.
Furious George, the Capuchin
In 2016, a capuchin nicknamed “Furious George” caused panic in a Brazilian bar.
After drinking cachaça from one of the glasses that was on the counter, the primate grabbed a knife and started chasing bar patrons.
While the women were able to continue sipping their drinks in peace, the men were pursued until the firefighters came to their rescue and captured the monkey.
George was released in a nearby nature reserve before being caught again: he had started terrorizing children.
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Fred, the baboon
Fred the baboon and his gang of primates rose to fame preying on motorists in Cape Town, South Africa.
The baboon chased terrified drivers before searching their cars from top to bottom.
His talent was such that he could attack no less than five cars in five minutes.
If the men and women were reluctant to abandon their vehicles, Fred could become violent.
He thus wounded three of his victims.
Several documentaries have focused on the monkey, immortalizing his reign of terror.
Fred was captured by police forces in 2011. When he died, scientists were stunned to find that he had been shot more than 50 times.
That hadn't stopped him from continuing his misdeeds.
drunken vervets
The island of Saint-Christophe, in the Caribbean, presents a major problem: alcoholic vervet monkeys have invaded the place, causing a lot of damage.
A wild population of these little monkeys, introduced to the island in the 17th century, quickly got into the habit of chewing fermented sugar cane (the island is famous for its rum production).
These days, they wait patiently for tourists to turn their backs on their glass and rush in to drink their contents.
The island is teeming with drunken monkeys;
this behavior became so prevalent that scientists decided to study the effects of alcohol in primates, with the aim of finding links to alcoholism in humans.
According to the study's findings, monkeys can be classified into four broad categories: binge-drinkers, regular drinkers, occasional drinkers, and abstainers.
Binge-drinkers drink pure alcohol in such large quantities that they eventually pass out.
Before fainting, they often have a violent behavior towards their congeners.
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