A Primate 's Memoir, By American Biologist

Primates are one of the most interesting mammals on earth, not only because of their complex social structures, but because they hold so many similar characteristics to humans. Primates are often cited as our closest living relatives and on two separate occasions I observed four separate species of primates at the San Diego Zoo that can justify their use of their physical characteristics and behaviors that may be similar as well as different to the other primates and ours.

This is a summary of the video we saw on the fifth of july’s lecture about John Cleese’s documentary about lemurs. He went on a three week expedition to the forest of Madagascar, to follow five black and white lemurs known as”Carolina five” that were born into captivity and then released into the rainforest. The video discusses the characteristics of several primate species. Lemur behaviors shown include bipedalism, leaping, climbing, playing, sunning, eating, feeding, vocalization, clinging, grooming, and defecation.

“Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and “Dignity” to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?”, by Ed Yong, is an article that explains the intentions of the Great Ape Project (GAP). The project demands a basic set of moral and legal rights for chimpanzees,gorillas, bonobos, and orangutans. Many countries have taken part of this project such as the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The message of the GAP is that the animals are not property, therefore they believe apes should not be used for experiment or entertainment. However, not everyone agrees with GAP’s rights-based approach. Frans de Waal, from Emory University believes that if we give rights to the apes, why not give rights to other animals such as monkeys, dogs, and rats? Singer says, “Speaking personally, I feel we should extend rights to a wide range of nonhuman animals” and he also says, “All creatures that can feel pain should have a basic moral status.” In the EU, Jane Goodall wants experimentations on apes and all animals to end. Many people are in favor of the GAP

In the article, “Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and ´Dignity´ to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?¨, written by Ed Yong, who explains the moral but unclear delma of granting Great Apes rights. Extending from Spain to the U.S., the Great Ape Project (GAP) fights for these basic sets of moral and legal rights for apes. The problem is that apes, although genetically similar to humans are still viewed as simple animals. Which makes the ability to give these non-human animals, human like rights unnecessary as it would to give rights to dogs or rats. The U.S. has also passes the Great Ape Protection Act, which stop any harmful experience to apes. Consequently also stopping any further understanding of underlying biological mechanisms,

Goodall, J. (1971). In the Shadow of Man. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. The author’s goal in writing this book is to discuss her experiences and what she had learned from studying wild Chimpanzees. Goodall wrote this book in order to convey her knowledge of a species of animal she loves very much, so that others may become educated and join her in protecting them. She dreamed of going to Africa to see them, and was offered a job by Dr. Lewis Leakey. Goodall wanted nothing more than a chance to help. Her experiences in surrounding herself with them have completely changed the way scientists conduct field research. Whether she intended to or not, the data she has collected has debunked myths and uncovered truths about chimpanzees, while bringing more light to human behavior.

Within this essay, we will study more in depth the behavioral as well as physical traits of two primates at a zoo from their interaction with their peers to their place in the group. This observation would enable us to further understand the possible existing correlation between humans and primates. First, I studied a female chimpanzee with her baby, and then, a dominant male gorilla, in San Francisco Zoo at about noon, on May 23, 2015, for an hour each. Even though they share some similarities such as having a large brain, living for a long time, and being bored in their enclosure, they are still different; when gorillas are the largest, chimpanzees are the smartest. In fact, chimps use tools to catch food, they would not be able to reach

For this assignment, I have decided to design an enclosure about the primate, Mandrill. I will, in words, describe an enclosure that will prevent these nonhuman primates from not being suited to their natural habitat needs. Throughout this assignment, I will design my very own version of a perfect enclosure that secures these primates by critically thinking of any psychological or physical problems that can occur. What also will need to partake is considering the perspective of the nonhuman primates, the zookeepers, and the visitors as well. Designing an enclosure has to be precise and detailed. I will do the best I can to be as detailed as I can be when designing this enclosure.

In the article,”Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and “Dignity” to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?”, author Ed Yong implies that different types of primates such as apes should be treated more like human beings. He starts by stating a claim the there is some type of schism between different types of scientists and the world. Yong also explains the the Swiss law and how it protects the “dignity” of organisms. He also states that the apes are basically in “battle” Yong then starts to talk about what measures the GAP tries to take in order to give the apes some type of rights. He also explains the different measures that other countries have taken to help the apes within their country, and then he makes another claim in which

1. The social structure and behavior of chimps in their communities or troops suggest many questions. What research questions might Dr. Hahn and her associates ask?

Marshall-Pescini and Whiten (2008) discuss social learning with chimpanzees in East Africa, focusing on the task of nut-cracking. Nut-cracking is unique to wild chimpanzees who live in West Africa, so this study intended to measure whether or not chimpanzees who do not live in the wild in West Africa would demonstrate the same ability to learn nut-cracking. The study took place on Ngamba Island in Lake Victoria, Uganda at a

Many similarities can be drawn between Sapolski’s A Primate’s Memoir and the documentary Look who’s talking. From the size of a community to the way the animals communicate, baboons distinguish themselves from other social species. The wolf lives in a small pack to assure its survival; the bee lives in a hive with thousands of other workers; the ant lives in a very large colony; the baboon lives in a troop. At the top of a baboon troop’s hierarchy is an alpha male. He assures his reign through

Historically, the set of common characteristics among primates have been documented as a consequence of adapting to arboreal living (living in trees). Even though others placental mammals (a very diverse group of close to 4,000 species ranging everything from rodents/bats to humans) were able to adapt to various environments; such as living on land (ground-dwelling) to living in oceans (marine environments), while the primates found their adaptive niche in the trees (the place in which they survival dependent upon such as in terms of proving refugee, their source of food, its habitat, etc.). In addition, the primates were not the only ones who were able to adapt to living in the trees, other mammals were capable of adapting to this way of living, however, the majority of them continued to dependent on the land for their primary source of food. On

Fossey is the second “Trimates” that accomplish major achievement in discovering new understanding on gorillas. Similarly, Fossey had no knowledge of primatology either, instead, she was a physical therapist at a children’s hospital in Kentucky, which is totally strange to the field of primatology. But Fossey has convinced herself as a worthy successor to Goodall. Because her studies is on gorillas, she need to travel to Africa to experience the wild life and able to reach the wild group of gorillas. Unfortunately, while she been to Africa, civil war has just begun and she was captured and may have been tortured by the local assailants. Surprisingly, such horrible circumstance cannot freak her out on the studies of gorillas. She continue to the further studies after she got out and insert herself much deeper on the life of gorillas, barely involvement of human contact. Such sacrifice in her life has made her desire come true after the civil war. She has observed some amazing features of gorillas, like female gorillas transferring between groups; males killing infants to bring females into heat and gorillas eating their own dung to recycle nutrients to survive. Such observation freak many primatologists out and has contributed further passion for Fossey to continue her research. Afterward, the unique female’s empathy has abled her to sit among the gorillas by habituate

Kavanagh, M. & Morris, D. (1983). Complete guide to monkeys, apes and other primates. London: Viking Press.

I decided to look at the sexual behavior of bonobos because they are known for their frequent sexual behavior. Though they are not one of the types of great apes mentioned in the book, a bonobo is nonetheless a great ape that belongs in the same genus as the common chimpanzee. Furuichi et al. observed bonobos in their naturalistic habitat in Wamba, Democratic Republic