Mycophagy in the Miombo: When Primates Go Full Forager Mode
Mycophagy is a widespread yet understudied component of primate foraging ecology, with roughly one quarter of primate species known to consume fungi. Despite this prevalence, little is understood about which fungal species primates target, the nutritional benefits they obtain, or the mechanisms by which they identify edible versus toxic taxa. In this talk, we will explore western Tanzania, and the ecological significance of fungal consumption by Chimpanzees, Yellow Baboon, and Red‑tailed Monkey, where fungi contribute approximately 4% of chimpanzee and red‑tailed monkey diets and 17% of baboon diets!