Curious response of three monkey species to mirrors (1997)

O'Neill, P. L., Lauter, A. C., Weed, J. L.

Abstract

One mirror was hung on the front of each subject's cage and remained in place for a two-week study period. Pig-tailed macaques contacted the mirror at a fairly constant rate of 12-18 times per hour. Rhesus macaques were initially interested in the mirror, but contact rate per hour progressively dropped to only 6 at the end of the second week. Long-tailed macaques showed little interest in the beginning, but contact rates reached those of pig-tailed macaques at the end of the study. "From watching the videotapes, there was no doubt in any viewer's mind that the reflective side of that mirror was sometimes skillfully directed toward an otherwise visually unavailable activity or animal." Abstract of this work has been published in: XVIth Congress of the International Primatological Society/XIXth Conference of the American Society of Primatologists, Abstract 318; O'Neill-Wagner P, Lauter AC, Weed JL; Macaques with mirrors: A variety of curious responses.