The global phenomenon of bushmeat hunting, which refers to the unsustainable harvest and consumption of non-domesticated, primarily terrestrial animals, poses a significant threat to both biodiversity and human health. Although humans have hunted wildlife for thousands of years, concern regarding the long-term impacts of unsustainable hunting of vulnerable species has grown substantially in recent decades. Primate species face a pronounced impact from hunting, given that approximately 30% of primate species are currently classified as endangered or critically endangered. Exploitation by bushmeat hunting will result in the depletion, and eventual extinction, of many species of primates. The loss of these primate species will consequently significantly
It is said that the humanoid existence begins in Africa. It is no coincidence that Africa is also the home to Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, and Bonobos, Pan paniscus. These are humans’ two closest living relatives, both sharing almost 99% of the human genome through common descent. While humans were said to have separated from Chimpanzees around 5-7 million years ago , Bonobos separated from its Chimp cousins around 2 million years ago . Bonobos inhabit a single part of Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo South of the Congo River, unlike the Chimpanzee, which inhabits Across West- and Central Africa, with remaining populations distributed over several countries. While these two apes where once thought to be the same species, up until the beginning of the 20th century , there are many differences socially, as well as physically, that make Bonobos more than a Pygmy Chimp. With disparities in morphology, behavior, perhaps even emotions and cognition, and known as the “make love, not war chimp” , how can this ape be so vastly different from its notoriously violent Pan cousin, but yet share the same amount of similar DNA to Homo sapiens? And what does this mean for the studies of human and past humanoid behavior?
Although the practice of collecting animals have been present since 2500 B.C (Dunlap and Kellert), efforts to keep animals in a safe and natural habitat have been poorly consummated. Psychological manipulation has consequentially drawn chimpanzees to mental illness, as in the article “How Abnormal Is the Behavior of Captive, Zoo-Living Chimpanzees?” Lucy P. Birkett and Nicholas E. Newton-Fisher wrote, “Many chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) kept in laboratory housing settings show a variety of serious behavioral abnormalities, such as, repetitive rocking, drinking of urine, or self-mutilation.” Social and maternal separation for the benifit of reasearch are linked to psychological traumatic as well (Dunlap and Kellert). Although through history the service of zoos have been for entertainment, it is a trivial reason for holding chimpanzees in confidment. Subsequently, it is inhumane to take primates from the wild and place them in a zoo, commercial, or laboratory setting, which strips them of their ability to act naturally.
Thesis Statement: Despite the rampant protests of animal welfare organizations on encaging primates in zoos since primates typically show abnormal behavior, zoos in the National Capital Region claim that human interaction and enrichment programs help alleviate the stress and trauma primates experience.
Through Goodall’s research valuable information such as the chimpanzees eating larger mammals such as a bushpig were uncovered. Goodall made a valid argument when she mentioned that the behavior of these chimpanzees may have been comparable to that of our ancient hominin ancestors. Goodall went in to observe the chimpanzees with no previous bias opinion, and this I believe attributed to her successful study of the chimpanzees. Goodall is able to in time get close enough to the chimpanzees in order to gain the knowledge and material needed in order to properly study chimpanzee behavior. Noting the compelling nature of Goodall’s research, I believe that without Goodall’s research the lack of information on chimpanzees and their behavior would be distressing. It isn’t often that we learn of a species that is deemed most biologically equivalent to us, and then find in that study that they are much similar to us. The chimpanzees live in group setting much like humans and our society. Chimpanzees also demonstrated use of tools in order to hunt for food, such as using leaf stems to fish for termites. They also demonstrated predatory behaviors in hunting and killing other larger mammals such as bushpigs, baboons, and other monkeys. In short the chimpanzee is an intriguing species that can be closely compared to
There has been an age long debate to whether or not primates have culture. This is based on the idea that primates may have certain behaviors that our taught rather than already being programmed in their minds biologically. Some would argue that a certain action that a primate does wouldn’t necessarily be something that primate was born knowing; but others would argue that it was something that was something they knew in their subconscious mind. Notable arguments that would be in favor of culture in primates would include their use of tools, how a primate eats, and how they interact; arguments against the theory of culture in primates would proclaim that a primate’s habits are determined biologically and not affected by outside sources.
Throughout situations and research conducted by not only Robert Sapolsky or Jane Goodman, but from many other credited sources, we can blatantly see the, if not identical, similarities between the two species of humans and baboons. The most apparent likewise characteristics of this can be read and documented in Professor Sapolsky’s book, A Primate’s Memoirs. Sapolsky, who spent hundreds if not thousands, of hours studying these Savanna Baboons, sheds a vast insight into ideas of social dominance, mating strategies, instinctual prowess, community settings, hygiene, and reform of an entire generation; many of which can be unknowingly seen directly in the common occurrence of a humans daily life.
It has been believed that culture is unique to humans and no other groups of animals have culture, but recent evidence refutes this ideology. Before getting into the meat of the argument, it is important to first address the issues regarding the ambiguity of the term, “culture.” What is culture? Many scientists may argue that culture is the way of life for a group of individuals, this definition includes the values, beliefs and traditions of the group (Sapolsky, 2006). Other scientists may argue that culture is the transmission of habits and information by social means (Sapolsky, 2006). Despite the different specifics of what culture is, almost all scientists would agree that culture is transmitted socially through social learning that promotes the transfer of information between members in a group (Boesch and Tomasello, 1998). Based on these notions of culture, it can be justifiably stated that primates have culture. Primates exhibit food preparation techniques, use of tools, communication skills, and most importantly, behaviors of social learning. An exemplar of primates’ capabilities for culture is Koko, the lowland gorilla. Koko, in captivity, was able to learn American sign language, demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to deceive.
Viewing and observing primates at the zoo and using them as a research subject is crucial to help with the understanding of how humans came to be. Since humans and primates are onwards of 95% genetically similar (Why are Humans Primates), observing them is a great tool to better understand humans and the relationship we share with primates. Though some research done on primates has questioned the morality of such a thing, by not observing our closest ancestors, we would not have many of the answers about humans that we have today. Non-human primates can teach us many things about ourselves, from evolution,to behavioral and social characteristics.
In the article, “Of Primates and Personhood: Will According Rights and “Dignity” to Nonhuman Organisms Halt Research?”, author Ed Yong demonstrates the process of attempting rights for nonhuman creatures. He begins to create his claim by mentioning the Great Ape Project, and how much they have struggled so much with establishing rights for certain creatures that they just began to focus only on apes. Yong continues with the notions of others having a great dislike towards ape rights but makes a point by mentioning they are the most similar animals to us than any other. It seems that the US is the one to blame for stopping the rights but many continue to argue that they know how to protect each one and another, just as humans. His purpose is
In the last decade, from the Rockies to New England and the Deep South, rural and suburban areas have been beset by white-tailed deer gnawing shrubbery and crops, spreading disease and causing hundreds of thousands of auto wrecks. But the deer problem has proved even more profound, biologists say. Fast-multiplying herds are altering the ecology of forests, stripping them of native vegetation and eliminating niches for other wildlife. ' 'I don 't want to paint deer as Eastern devils, ' ' said Dr. McShea, a wildlife biologist associated with the National Zoo in Washington, ' 'but this is indicative of what happens when an ecosystem is out of whack. ' ' The damage is worse than anyone expected, he and other scientists say. Higher deer densities have affected growth, survival, and reproduction of many plant species which have aesthetic, economic or ecological value. In some cases, many species of trees have also been shown to have reduced growth as a result of high deer density (Environmental Benefits of Hunting, 1). Deer prefer certain plant species over others and frequently feed on economically valuable tree species. For example, they prefer oak and sugar maple seedlings, as well as acorns, over less palatable species like American Beech and striped maple. Thus, less marketable species are more likely to survive to maturity,
Flocken endorses that “...hunters are not like natural predators.They target the largest specimens; with the biggest tusks, manes, antlers, or horns.” In Defense of Animals International (IDA) argues that hunters concentrate on“game” populations and ignore “non-game” species that may lead to overpopulation and unequal ecosystems. Therefore, it affects their ecosystem, and the animals’ families. Overall, the evidence proves trophy hunting hurts the environment, specifically conservation. Therefore, the hunters’ idea that trophy hunting actually helps conservation by killing some predators to maintain balance, is merely
Our earliest ancestors are primates. They are our closest relatives which is why we can see our behavior’s and practices in them. If we observe them we can get a better understanding of them and us, human beings. But unfortunately we all don’t get the chance to see a Primate right in our backdoor. So the best thing I could do for my observation was to visit them at the zoo.
Observations: There were a total of 4 Gorillas one mom and pop gorilla and 2 younger gorillas. Paul and little Frank stood out to me the most because even though they interacted minimally I could see a father and son bond. Paul was the biggest, twice as big as the mom gorilla Azizi . Paul was an interesting one, he first just sat around leaning his back on one of the trees just staring and looking around at the other gorillas and the park visitors.
Non human primates’ social organization can provide useful information how human social evolution occurs. We will go over main points of how similar and different non human primates such as chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas’ society are compared to ours, humans.
People that have lived on the lands also experience changes in both positive and negative ways just as primates do. For some groups of people living in close contact with primates, there may be few opportunities for them to make a living. Some people are reliant on extracting a material that is in the primate’s habitat, while others might be dependent on working for the logging industry. When primatological research gets approved for an area, land restrictions may also come along with it. For the protection of the primates for the research, certain activities could be prohibited from happening in said region. What happens to the local people when their source of income is taken away from them? One such example of a difficult problem a primatologist might be faced with in determining if their obligation lies with the well-being of the local people in the region or with the safety of the primates is illustrated in an article, “New Wine in New Bottles, Prospects and Pitfalls of Cultural Primatology” by W.C McGrew. McGrew describes a situation that was seen between six different populations across Africa (Bossou, Budongo, Gombe, Kibale Mahale and Taï) and the chimpanzees that occupied the same region as them. The chimpanzees here had a tendency to steal crops from the local farmers in this territory, which caused a strain on the farmers, as they were losing crops and money. As the raiding continued, the farmers grew less and less patient with the situation at hand, and some resulted in the use of violence towards the primates. When primatologist are faced with situations such as these, the debate of who has more of a right to the land, - the primates or the humans- takes shape when topics such as these come up. A primatologist might have much trouble in figuring out what truly is the best choice when determining what/who needs the most protection and help. A