Are some primates naturally curious about humans?
M: Yeah, if they haven’t been hunted. If they have been hunted, their general response is to get out of there as quickly as possible. Apes and monkeys are cautious because a direct stare is a threat. They’ll just cast glances. Little primates will often come down and try to engage you in some sort of interaction. A: Is it okay to entice them with food? M: No. You shouldn’t do that. There are a few places in Madagascar where the lemurs are fed bananas and they’ll jump around on people’s shoulders. But it’s definitely not something we want to encourage. A: Is there ever a time that you should not try to have a monkey or ape encounter? For instance, if you have a cold? M: Certainly with the apes if you have any kind of transmissible disease you shouldn’t go. They share so much of our genetic makeup they really are at risk. If you’re likely to have close physical contact, you should be careful. A: Are there diseases that a human could contract from a primate? M: Yes, if you’re handling the
