Mandrillus leucophaeus are close relatives of mandrills and baboons native to Central Africa.
A monkey at a zoo in Czech Republic carried the dead body of its baby for days, but later devoured it. The bizarre incident was reported from the Dvur Kralove safari park, Live Science said in a report, adding that the mother's unusual action may improve her chances of having another child in the future. The female monkey named Kumasi, from Mandrillus leucophaeus, gave birth in August 2020 but the baby died eight days later, the Live Science report said.
The cause of death was never determined but the baby money was not in poor health.
Kumasi carried the dead body for two days and even prevented the keepers from removing it from the enclosure. It even tried to catch the baby's gaze, a typical behaviour exhibited by some primates sometimes.
However, things took a bizarre turn when Kumasi began eating her dead baby. Zoo authorities said she had eaten most of the remains before the body was eventually removed. The keepers did not find any other monkey eating any of the remains.
Researchers analysed the video of Kumasi's shocking behaviour in a new study published in the journal Primates. Such instances are not commonly reported. "In scientific literature, you can find only anecdotal reports," study co-author Elisabetta Palagi told Live Science.
The infant cannibalism could be a horrific act from a human point of view, but researchers offer an explanation.
"If we consider the incredible reproductive energy investment of primate mothers, cannibalism can be considered an adaptive evolutionary trait that helps the mother to recover energy after gestation," Ms Palagi said.
This could increase her chances of reproductive success in the future, she added.
"The fact that the mother did not share the carcass with other group members supports the hypothesis of the nutritional benefit of cannibalism," said Ms Palagi, because the others were not in need of the additional nutrients.
Newsweek said this is the first report of post-mortem carrying and cannibalism of an infant in a captive group of monkeys.
Mandrillus leucophaeus, also called Drills, are close relatives of mandrills and baboons native to Central Africa, the outlet said. They live in large social groups, of up to 100 individuals, led by a dominant male that fathers the majority of the young.