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S39E3: Secrets of Survival | Primates | Clip

Macaque Cons Squirrel Into a Free Meal

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In southern India, monsoon rains bring on jackfruit season, but macaques have a difficult time identifying ripe fruit. So they follow a “friend” who not-so-willingly leads them to the good stuff.

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TRANSCRIPT

- [Narrator] Here in southern India, monsoon rains bring on jackfruit season.

These enormous, 22-pound hulks are the largest tree fruit in the world, a feast.

But until they're ripe, they remain completely inedible.

The macaques, unfortunately, find it hard to tell which ones are ready to eat.

Luckily, help is at hand.

These giant Malabar squirrels have a keen sense of smell, which leads them to the ripest fruits.

The macaques watch the squirrels' every move.

Then they try to muscle in.

When the squirrels hold their ground, the macaques have another trick to get their ripe fruit to go.

(fruit thudding) They know that the squirrels won't follow them down to the ground.

This tactic gives the monkeys access to the pick of the bunch.