Gibraltar Monkeys Eating Soil

The study by Cambridge University researchers found that soil consumption was more common in groups of monkeys that frequently stole food like chocolate and crisps from visitors.

The dirt is believed to provide essential minerals and bacteria that are absent from highly processed human food.

Experts are urging tourists to stop feeding the macaques, as the calorie-rich snacks are causing significant health issues for the wild population.

The findings challenge previous assumptions about primate behavior and highlight a crafty social adaptation to living near humans.