Japanese macaques in Yakushima. Monkeys in the 1980s were experiencing stress-related dental problems
Hiroya Minakuchi/Minden/naturepl.com
Japanese island monkeys experienced severe tooth enamel loss in the 1980s, which researchers believe was caused by the stress and habitat destruction of the culling program.
The condition was very distressing and would have made it difficult for the macaques to eat, says Ian Tor of the Spanish National Center for Human Evolutionary Studies in Burgos. “Their teeth wear down, exposing the living parts…
