Cross Species Fostering Imagine a world where humans and animals live together as one. Cross Species Fostering is an area where people take animals like chimps into their homes and raise them, this is seen more often today. Cross Species Fostering has several impacts on chimps in the field of leaning and behavior skills. If an animal is raised by humans, what are the skills that these chimps may gain or lose? On the web page from The Telegraph in an article called Nim Chimpsky: the chimp who thought he was a boy it speaks of a chimp called Nin and the results of a test and it states “When Nim was given a group of photographs to sort - images of chimps, including himself, mixed up with those of humans - he would put his own picture in the …show more content…
On a web page organization called Eurek Alert states “chimpanzees with high human exposure in life tended to engage in less social grooming with their groupmates, a critically important behavior for social bonding in chimpanzees”. Chimps that are around humans do not gain the necessary skills that they need when they are removed from their habitat. The loss of these skill makes them unsocial and leaves the alike to the previous paragraph thinking that they are humans. Even though chimps that are raised by humans lose skills that they would have in their natural habitat, they gain skills that are unique to them and these chimps become intelligent animals that help researchers learn more about our …show more content…
Taking chimps away from their natural habitat has affected some chimps and has stopped them from learning necessary social skills needed around other apes. Even though they may lose a few skill they also gain several skill for example Gua the chimp learned skills that helped her around humans before she could no longer learn more. Chimps may also become confused on who they are just as Nim thought he was human for being raised around humans. Cross Species Fostering has impacts on chimps and how they behave around other chimp, but these skills make them
There are contrasts in tool kits used by different groups of chimpanzees, which seem to be a result of the environment in which they live as well as information that is shared by the group. For example, in 1973 it was reported that chimpanzees in Gombe did not use hammer stones, but those of Cape Palmas did. We will explore the tool use of Chimpanzees from the wild, including Gombe, Tai National Forest, and the Congo Basin---and contrast those with Chimpanzees in captivity in locations of Zoo’s both in the United States and abroad.
To start, research shows that there are a striking number of similarities between humans and chimpanzees in context to their social behavior.
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.
In primates such as chimpanzees it is imperative to look at their culture to understand their intelligence. Culture in this circumstance means a specific set of behaviors obtained through learning in a population/species. Chimpanzee’s intelligence is quite unique how they interact with their environment and use it to their benefit just like humans. They have the ability to overcome the obstacles of everyday life through learning and the ability to use tools to create a better quality of life. The complexity of their intellect is different from any other animal ever seen. A significant part of chimpanzee intelligence that sets them apart from other primates and puts them closer to humans is the way they exhibit social learning within their culture and interactions within their environment.
Quiatt, D., & Reynolds, V. (1993). Primate behaviour: information, social knowledge, and the evolution of culture. Cambridge [England: Cambridge University Press].
All in all, learning about primates then getting to observe them is very interesting. I got to match the primate’s behaviors written in a book with how they act in person, and see for myself if it was what I expected. Observing them is far more fun than just reading about them, for example while I was sitting with the orangutans there was not a minute that went by where I wasn't smiling or laughing at what each individual ape was doing. Actually seeing certain primates interact with each other whether it be grooming, hugging,or playing, put into perspective just how much they act like humans. By observing and doing research, this will better our understanding between the differences and similarities of non-human primates and ourselves as humans.
According to National Geographic, scientists have sequenced the genome of the chimpanzee and found that humans are 98.5% similar to the ape species. The chimpanzee is our closest relative in the animal kingdom; however, some people are not aware of our resembling traits with chimpanzees. Jane Goodall’s, In the Shadow of Man, describes some similar traits humans and chimpanzees have, such as their facial expressions and emotions, use of tools, and diet. Chimpanzees portray their emotions through a number of facial expressions and mannerisms. Just like humans, they undergo mood swings, jealous rages, and laughter.
Primates are considered to be one of the most interesting mammals on earth to study due to their numerous similarities with humans and their complexities in life. Today we look at primates as our closest relatives, meaning that observations and research will not only give us information about non-human primates, but human primates as well. There were many primates to choose from, though I decided to observe two types of primates, the Western Lowland Gorilla, and the Tufted Capuchin Monkey. Both species of primates were observed at the San Diego Zoo. With my research, I will collect data from my observations, give background information from credible sources, and explain the interactions I encountered while observing the two different primates. Before attempting to understand ourselves and other species as primates, it is important to understand that scientific research is the basis for determining our origins as primates, understanding certain species of primates, and why we consider primates to be our closest ancestor.
Inside the chimp habitat, I noticed a sign which read: Look here for a “zoo” born! When I saw it, I recalled that earlier during the day, a senior docent named Rhonda who worked with the gorillas had told me that there was recently a newborn chimp. She said to look very closely to find the baby because the mother was extremely protective of it. She had also mentioned that the newborn’s furless skin would be very pink. At first, I looked very keenly for the small new chimp who had just been born this year, but I couldn’t find it. I finally spotted the baby after I moved to a different position to view the chimps from the open air viewing area. The infant was just as Rhonda had described it: nestled in its mother’s arms as she shielde...
As stated in the article, “each ape’s social success depends on what other group members are up to, natural selection has favored the capacity for social maneuvers and [superior intelligence]” (2). Natural selection also favors apes because they are not ones to dwell or hold grudges on other apes when they get into feuds. Frans de Waal, a primatologist at the Arnheim Zoo in the Netherlands, shows how natural selection has also promoted the ability to strengthen the relationships of others. In his example, he gives an account of Mama, the most influential female in the colony, who would reconcile other apes after they got into
Chimpanzees (Figure 1) are the closest living relatives to us, and they share 99 percent of our DNA (1). Chimpanzees have distinct group territoriality. Male chimpanzees “patrol” near the boundary between the two ranges, at that time they move very carefully and quietly, and they can cease to listen and observe the range of their neighbors. Patrolling individuals are likely to face cruel and violent attacks, injuries, and even deaths. Intense excitement and aggressive display can occur if the two parties of two communities encounter each other. Usually, the larger group holds its ground, and interaction between different chimpanzees communities may also lead to gang attack. Expanding the community range is necessary to their social organizations, the males cooperation can defend the territory and increase the reproductive rates of the resident females by excluding female and male competitors. Body contact is common in their social life such as grooming (1). Usually, chimpanzees groom each other as a way to show harmony and solidarity in their society (Figure 2). Grooming each other demonstrates the deep bonds and close relationship between them. In addition, they can even hug, hold hands, touch, kiss each other as a way of emotional expression (2).
Using the “Linnaean system of classifying organisms, people and apes are common members of the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, class Mammalia, order Primates, suborder (or infraorder) Anthropoidea, and superfamily Hominoidea” (Tuttle 15). Imagine going to the zoo and seeing chimpanzees for the first time. One may notice things such as similar hands with opposable thumbs, the ability the walk on two legs and even the face itself. Watching different shows on the Discover Channel or even Animal Planet images of chimpanzees and primates living together in rich social groups with its own hierarchy. Much like humans in our cliques and with our hierarchy. Going back to Linnaean system were in the same animal kingdom as which brings me to the genetic attributes that we share. “The amount of difference in DNA is a test of the difference between one species and another – and thus how closely or distantly related they are… While the genetic difference between individual humans today is minuscule – about 0.1%, on average – study of the same aspects of the chimpanzee genome indicates a difference of about 1.2%” (http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/genetics). A one percent difference is a stones
Zoos display fascinating animals from all over the world for human entertainment, research, conservation, and education. Many scientists conduct studies on animals in captivity that they may not have been able to in the wild. Zoos educate all the visitors that come; they let people know everything that they know about the animals on display. We do learn a lot from these animals, but not all of the animals in the zoo are behaving like they normally would in the wild. Larger animals, such as elephants and orcas (commonly known as killer whales), have trouble with being confined in such a small area. However, many smaller animals benefit from zoos because they provide protection from predators, natural disasters, and poachers. They also benefit from conservation efforts; the babies being born get all the care they could ever need. Some animal rights activists are concerned that the conservation efforts are limiting the gene pool of the species. They argue that the small number of animals able to breed in captivity limits biodiversity and leads to weaknesses in the species overall. Zoos are wonderful places to study and learn about animals, but we need to improve the living standards for animals that struggle with captivity.
Wilford, John N. "Evidence of Chimps' Intelligence Grows." The New York Times. N.p., 18 Apr. 2007. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. .
In most time, culture is regarded as the product of human work. It could be the reason why the word “Culture” originates from Latin meaning farming. Interestingly, some researchers believe that culture is not the only possession of mankind because it seems to exist in animals as well after investigating their cultural behaviors. With the rapid development of anthropology and other related disciplines, scholars can gradually tell the difference between animal and human cultures and even generalize why human culture is quite unique. Therefore, when animal culture is in debate, it is usually judged much strictly from a human culture perspective as Laland and Hoppitt (2003:150) believed. This essay will argue that chimpanzees do not have their own culture at present even though there are evidences can show they are capable of social learning, and it is not clearly indicated that the variations in group behaviours are directly caused by socially transmitted cultural learning.