What secondary vegetative matter do woolly monkeys consume when fruit is scarce?
Answer
Young leaves and nectar from certain blossoms
When the preferred, high-sugar fruit becomes scarce, woolly monkeys employ a critical fallback strategy by consuming other vegetative matter. This secondary food group explicitly includes young leaves and the nectar found in blossoms. This consumption of leaves, referred to as folivory, is less dominant than their primary frugivory, but it is an essential buffer mechanism that helps them obtain necessary nutrients and fiber when high-energy fruit dips seasonally.
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