It's probably because bananas tend to grow in the hot, tropical areas where monkeys usually live. They're a convenient source of food that happens to taste great and provide a lot of nutrients in a small package. If you're an active kid, a banana can give you a quick dose of natural energy to keep your body going.
Why should monkeys not eat bananas?
"Giving this fruit to animals is equivalent to giving them cake and chocolate. "Compared to the food they would eat in the wild, bananas are much more energy-dense - they have lots of calories - and contain much more sugar that's bad for their teeth and can lead to diabetes and similar conditions."
Are monkeys supposed to eat bananas?
Monkeys do enjoy bananas. A study from 1936 even offered monkeys fruits, vegetables, nuts, and bread to see what they would choose to eat more of. Bananas ranked right behind grapes; nuts and bread were last. "Of course monkeys and apes are not stupid and relish eating them once they are exposed to them," Milton said.
What happens if you give a monkey a banana?
Contrary to the stereotype, bananas are not the preferred food of monkeys in the wild. Bananas, especially those containing pesticides, can be upsetting to the monkeys' delicate digestive system and cause serious dental problems that can lead to eventual death.
What happens if monkeys eat too many bananas?
According to the zoo's head of conservation, Amy Plowman, the bananas' high sugar content could cause the monkeys to develop diabetes or similar conditions. “It can also cause gastrointestinal problems as their stomachs are mostly adapted to eating fibrous foods with very low digestibility,” she said.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
Why do monkeys not eat bananas in the wild?Can monkeys digest bananas?