Van Schhaik Analysis

Primates, our closest living relatives, are among the smartest of the animal kingdom. Two in particular, Orangutans and Chimpanzees, are considered the most intelligent of the primates. Both species have been taught to use and have been observed using tools necessary for their survival. What makes this action qualify as intelligence, is that they understand why they are performing those actions and how to go about doing them. A captive orangutan was once taught how to build a protective structure using tools in the wild. When the orangutan was released, it was seen building the same protective structure to provide shelter from the rain. Chimpanzees, however, have been found to learn, have family bonds, adopt orphans, perform cognitive and creative tasks, and have a better memory than any other animal. They have learned how to use sign language to

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

I primarily observed three orangutans, one male, one female, and one juvenile, of Sumatran and Bornean descent, scientifically known as Pongo abelli and Pongo pygmaeus, respectively, and to a lesser extent, two gibbons known as siamangs, or Symphalangus syndactylus. These primates share the same enclosure in the San Diego Zoo in California. I observed the orangutans from 12:58 P.M. to 2:00 P.M. CST on September 19th. During this time frame, the three orangutans mainly stayed high up in their man-made structures, consisting of multiple metal bars covered with nets, ropes, and hammocks. The female and juvenile orangutans stayed above ground from 12:58 P.M. to 1:31 P.M., and again from 1:48 P.M. until 2:00 P.M, approximately 45 minutes. During

One study attempted to observe capuchin monkey’s ability to recognize cause and effect relationship in regards to tool use. An article in the international journal or primatology by Anthea Lavallee, describes the tests she conducted in a captive naturalistic environment on capuchin monkeys, as she writes, “I tested tufted capuchins' ability to conceive solutions to a probing task in a naturalistic captive setting” . The results showed at 3 out of the 5 capuchin monkeys displayed an ability to make and use tools that were presented to them from a wide variety of natural materials presented. Another study on the manipulation and tool use in captive yellow breasted capuchin monkeys was published in the “International Journal of Comparative Psychology” . This experiment consisted of six capuchin monkeys, who were placed in an environment where their tool using was tested and observed. The tools that were made available to the monkeys were transparent 9mm Plexiglas boxes with 3mm Plexiglas lids as well as different size stones. A piece of food was then placed into the box with the stones next to it and left for the capuchins. Each test subject was left isolated with the tools and box from the other test subjects, the subjects where successful if they used the stones to try and

The use of tools comes to practice everyday as chimpanzees collect food from the jungle. Goodall describes how chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe National Park use straw and blades of grass poke holes to hunt for termites by “squatting beside the termite nest, pushing and withdrawing the long grass stem through a hole”. Moreover, during Gooddal’s research, she observed chimpanzees modifying tools, such as small leafy twigs, thus showing the beginnings of tool making. Chimpanzees in West Africa also use tools to get honey from underground bees’ nests. Recently, scientists found out that chimpanzees living in West Savannah use deadly spears from sticks and hand crafted tools to hunt for small animals.

Anthropologist, Edward Tylor defines culture as “that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” (McGrew, 1998). Other anthropological definitions refer to specific human nature of a culture centered on language, symbols, teaching and imitation (Humle and Newton-Fisher, 2013). Nonhuman primates are cultured and is passed from parent to offspring and is enforced throughout their lives. Various primates initially do the same thing, but carry out these tasks different per what they practice which would be a part of their culture. This research paper will explore specific evidence of culture in nonhuman primates and how it is transmitted.

Opening the documentary with scenes of chimpanzees navigating the forest while wielding rudimentary spears is quite frightening. Often, it is thought that humans are the only species on Earth that can make and utilize tools (such as weapons), and that is largely attributed to humans' advanced bipedalism. However, chimps have begun to use stripped down branches that are then sharpened by their teeth to hunt and catch a variety of prey. This means that chimps took distinct steps to create a weapon and conduct a hunt, and that can be related to humans' early ancestors and their rudimentary ways of life. This has major implications for two reasons: the first being that chimps are advancing intellectually and possibly socially as they seem to organize

Primates share many human-like factors, and over time, studies are able to now show that non-human primates have become even more like humans in terms of culture and lifestyle. Primates are intelligent, which allows parents of mammals to teach their young, and the young learn much like humans do. From detailed studies of ape behavior, it is concluded that apes, like humans, use tools and patterns to adapt from what they learn in social groups, rather than it being biological. Primates have been found to laugh, support each other, learn how to medicate themselves and others when in need, have family traditions, show off, grieve, and the list goes on. Learning such things, whether it be human or ape, varies from culture to culture, through social

During my research of Orangutans and Mandrills I observed them in captivity at the San Diego Zoo. My observations included a 20 minute observation of each primate as it cohabitated with other Primates and with other members of its own species. My findings will support the research of Orangutans and Mandrills through firsthand observations.

In the end, the Golden – Cheeked Gibbon is a fascinating primate that has a unique style of motion and call. While I did not experience that call that the gibbon uses to either have a mating partner or claim its own territory, it does exist. Their way of moving throughout the enclosure is fascinating to watch as they swing their long arms around. Moving from prop to prop they are easily able to move from one side of the enclosure in under ten seconds. The primates provided key examples on similarities that humans share with these animals, and other primates. The interaction

The rarity of human uniqueness no longer exists in the thoughts of scientists believing that human ability skills lie within the construction and use of tools. As declared by Goodall in which chimpanzees used straight sticks after removing the leaves and branches to collect termites or ants for consumption. (Goodall, 1986) Other species both primate and non-primate demonstrate successful abilities., which include a sense of self as well as the theory of mind, by which other species recognize that other individuals contain different information than themselves. Different species also have the ability to communicate symbolically to one another through the sounds of vocalization. (Sapolsky R. M., 2006)

They’re known as the toolmakers as a result of constructing modern tools with the use of rocks, sticks, and other natural materials. In physical anthropology, the same effect applies to chimpanzees in which they use tools for hunting and other uses for living in the wild. They’re known to be an endangered species. Physical anthropologists are looking into human-like behaviors and observe the characteristics and lifestyles of all living primates. Besides that, they’re interested in comparing and contrasting their brains and skeletons from most of the human population.

This is a common element associated with non-human primates and is often unexplainable by researchers. However, these specialized biological anthropologists stick with their career path and added to the knowledge we have of non-human primates. Likewise, this article connects with physical anthropology because of this. The discussion on non-human primates and their behaviors is a key element in anthropology, especially physical anthropology. This behavioral concept among the monkeys ties into their culture as primates, and could vary from different species, as well as factors such as isolation and environment. In short, the research provided in Braun’s article is a key milestone in the field of anthropology and the continued study of primate

In this monograph The Gibbons of Khao Yai, Thad Q Bartlett records all of his own notes about the small apes, also known as the gibbons, in their own natural habitat in the national park of Khao Yai, Thailand. Before he wrote this book, primatologists had hypothesized about a correlation between territoriality and monogamy in the gibbons and believed that it was due to the small fruiting trees and figs. Bartlett had taken an interest in the gibbons, and made a goal to contradict this hypothesis by studying the gibbons up close, and better understand how the availability of food affected their behaviors and ecology.

The nameless “Orangutan Boy” was found as a member in a pack of orangutans in Malaysia. The boy was raised by his odd family until the age of seven years, when he was found. He was unable to communicate, and was even frightened by fellow humans. He had become a valued family member of the primates, who even tried to defend him from the people who tried to take him.