Asked by: Alex Moran, Dublin
We’re the only animals who cook our food, but others certainly join us in the prepping department. For example, adult bigheaded ants place food onto the bellies of their larvae for them to spit enzymes onto, resulting in a more easily digestible meal.
In the bird world, shrikes (also called butcher birds) impale poisonous lubber grasshoppers on thorns for up to two days to allow time for the toxins to degrade before tucking in.
Capuchin monkeys leave ripe palm nuts to dry in the Sun so that they can more easily crack the tough shells, while Japanese macaques have been known to wash potatoes, fed to them by researchers, before seasoning them in salt water!
Read more:
Subscribe to BBC Science Focus Magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun facts.
