Macaques in Gibraltar are increasingly consuming human snacks such as crisps, chocolate bars, and ice cream, which disrupts their natural eating habits and leads to digestive problems. A study from Cambridge University highlights that these calorie-rich foods differ significantly from their typical diet of leaves and seeds. To alleviate discomfort from these unhealthy snacks, the monkeys have taken to eating soil, which may help buffer their digestive systems and provide essential nutrients. Dr. Sylvain Lemoine, a biological anthropologist, explains that this behavior is likely a survival strategy to cope with the adverse effects of junk food. The study found that monkeys exposed to tourists frequently exhibited higher rates of soil consumption, particularly during peak holiday seasons, indicating that this behavior is socially learned among different monkey groups. The findings emphasize how human food influences wildlife behavior and health.