Final answer:
It is true that non-human primates do not encounter dairy after being weaned because they do not consume it in their natural diet, relying instead on a variety of solid foods as they become lactose intolerant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that non-human primates rarely or never encounter dairy after being weaned is true. In the wild, mammals typically only consume milk during their infancy, which is the period directly after birth when they are dependent on their mother’s milk. After weaning, they rely on a diverse diet consisting of foods found in their natural environment, which does not include dairy products.
During weaning, they transition to solid foods and their bodies often stop producing significant amounts of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest lactose found in milk. This is why most adult mammals, including non-human primates, are generally lactose intolerant. The evolution of dairy agriculture culture in Europe has led to a situation where some human populations have developed lactose tolerance due to a genetic mutation, but this is not the case for non-human primates. This evolutionary development is unique to humans and does not apply to other mammals.