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Gibraltar Monkeys Eat Soil to Counter Tourist Junk Food

4/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Monkeys on Gibraltar’s Rock eat soil to self-medicate for stomach upset from tourist-handed junk food.
Cambridge biologists found that the 230 macaques interacting with tourists consume soil about twelve times weekly, while isolated groups do not.
Soil intake peaks in summer and falls roughly forty percent in winter as tourist numbers drop.
Gibraltar’s tourism board warns visitors not to feed the macaques and fines violators up to £4,000.

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Story summary

Monkeys on Gibraltar’s Rock eat soil to self-medicate for stomach upset from tourist-handed junk food.
Cambridge biologists found that the 230 macaques interacting with tourists consume soil about twelve times weekly, while isolated groups do not.
Soil intake peaks in summer and falls roughly forty percent in winter as tourist numbers drop.
Gibraltar’s tourism board warns visitors not to feed the macaques and fines violators up to £4,000.