Stress That Saves: How Capuchin Monkeys Survived a Devastating Drought

A Surprising Link Between Stress Hormones and Survival in Wild Primates

Stress has long been viewed as the enemy of health in humans. But for wild animals, the story is more nuanced. A recent study of capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica, published in Science Advances¹, suggests that stress may sometimes hold the key to survival. The findings reveal how a strong hormonal response to adversity helped certain monkeys endure the extr…