title: Mineral Acquisition from Clay by Budongo Forest Chimpanzees.
abstract: Chimpanzees of the Sonso community, Budongo Forest, Uganda were observed eating clay and drinking clay-water from waterholes. We show that clay, clay-rich water, and clay obtained with leaf sponges, provide a range of minerals in different concentrations. The presence of aluminium in the clay consumed indicates that it takes the form of kaolinite. We discuss the contribution of clay geophagy to the mineral intake of the Sonso chimpanzees and show that clay eaten using leaf sponges is particularly rich in minerals. We show that termite mound soil, also regularly consumed, is rich in minerals. We discuss the frequency of clay and termite soil geophagy in the context of the disappearance from Budongo Forest of a formerly rich source of minerals, the decaying pith of Raphia farinifera palms.
authors.affiliation: School of Anthropology, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom; Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda.
authors.forename: Vernon
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: English
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.affiliation: School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.affiliation: Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda; School of Psychology, St Andrews University, St Andrews, Scotland.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hobaiter
authors.affiliation: School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Newton-Fisher
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, St Andrews University, St Andrews, Scotland.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.affiliation: Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda; Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Noemie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lamon
authors.affiliation: Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda; Animal Ecology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne Marijke
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schel
authors.affiliation: Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda; School of Psychology, St Andrews University, St Andrews, Scotland.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fallon
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000077215:Clay; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D065928:Forests; D008297:Male; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014454:Uganda
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D008903:Minerals; D012987:Soil; D000077215:Clay