Vervet monkeys are quick and clever planners of the best route to follow on foraging trips, shows a new study. When dominant group mates are too far away to interfere, vervets tend to choose the shortest route along successive food sites, snacking on each at leisure. But when dominants group mates are nearby, they seem to assess the time before these can approach and displace them at the feeding site. They then choose the route that maximizes their food intake and minimizes travel distance before the competitors' arrival.
