the pure mineral kaolinate and surpass or approach pure bentonite in their capacity to bind quinine and tannic acid. In vitro and in vivo tests of these soils and many others from southeastern Peru indicate that they also release nutritionally important quantities of minerals such as calcium and sodium. In the Manu River example cited above, the preferred soil bands had much higher levels of sodium than those that were not chosen. Repeated studies have shown that the soils consumed most commonly by parrots in South America have higher sodium contents than those that are not consumed. It is unclear which factor is driving avian geophagy. However, evidence is mounting that sodium is the most important driver among parrots in southeastern Peru. Parrots are known to eat toxic foods globally, but geophagy is concentrated in very specific regions. Researchers Lee etal. show that parrot geophagy in South America is positively correlated to a significant degree with distance from the ocean. This suggests that overall lack of sodium in the ecosystem, not variation in food toxicity, is a better predictor of the spatial distribution of geophagy. This work, coupled with the recent findings of consistently high sodium levels in consumed soils, make it highly likely that sodium is the primary driver of avian geophagy among parrots (and possibly other taxa) in the western Amazon Basin. This supplemental nutrients hypothesis is further supported by peak geophagy occurring during the parrots' breeding season. Primates There are several hypotheses about the importance of geophagia in bats and primates. Chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda, have been observed to consume soil rich in kaolinite clay shortly before or after consuming plants including Trichilia rubescens, which possesses antimalarial properties in the laboratory. Geophagy is a behavioural adaptation seen in 136 species of nonhuman primates from the suborder Haplorrhini (81%) and Strepsirrhini (19%). The most commonly ingested soils are soils from mounds, soils from tree bases, soils from termite mounds, 'Pong' soils, forest floor. Studies have shown many benefits of geophagy such as protection from parasites (4.9%), minerals supplements (19.5%) and helps metabolize toxic compounds from leaves (12.2%) nonexclusive. From soil analysis it has been seen that one of the main compounds in the earth consumed by these primates is clay minerals that contains kaolinite which is commonly used in medications for diarrheal and intestinal problems. Geophagic behaviour plays an important role in nonhuman primates health. This