Throughout the book the author makes it very clear that he is passionate about the conservation efforts for the great apes. Many of the threats towards our close relatives have been a problem for many years, but have become even more prevalent over the last century. While there are already some laws and organizations dedicated to protecting the great apes, many specialists criticize that there are currently too few protectors, and that they may even be too late. Each of the apes face their own series of threats, where the answer appears complex and uneasy to target.
Orangutans may be in the most danger. These shaggy orange creatures are already very limited in their natural environment, only being found in specific regions of Indonesia. Unfortunately,
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Gorillas, for example, also face the threat of extinction. While deforestation is also a problem for gorillas, they confront another sinister fate. Consumption of gorillas may not be popular among our western civilization, but it is very well liked in many eastern cultures. Some individuals may simply prefer the ape meat over chicken or beef, while other consume gorillas for tradition and superstitious beliefs.
While there are laws and restrictions which limit and ban the slaughter and consumption of gorillas, also called “bushmeat”, this seems to be doing very little to minimize the hunting of gorillas. The author states that from a single African marked there may be over a thousand gorilla carcasses sold each year. Since these animals live long lives, bearing only a few kin in their lifetime, they are not reproducing as fast as they are being hunted. Therefore, the gorilla population is becoming smaller and smaller as it cannot
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By preserving their habitats not only will there be a gain in resources for the great apes, but there will be less edge habitats where they have a greater chance of exposure to diseases. Additionally, research scientists must be very cautious when entering the home of a chimpanzee or bonobo. Some researchers have already begun to take extra precaution, waiting several days after arrival before entering the field. This time allows diseases to show themselves, or leave the researchers immune system. Additionally, scientists should leave little to no trace of their presence to ensure the apes will not encounter anything that may contain or spread
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.
In his book, Planet Without Apes, Stanford introduces readers to apes, shows why the apes are endangered, how similar we are to apes, and why we should protect the apes. He does so in nine chapters – “Save the Apes”, “Heart of Darkness”, “Homeless”, “Bushmeat”, “Outbreak”, “In a Not-So-Gilded Cage”, “The Double-Edged Sword of Ecotourism”, “Ethnocide”, and “May There Always be Apes”. Stanford strategically chooses the name Planet Without the Apes, as a parody of the Hollywood franchise, hoping such a title would capture potential readers’ interests. Stanford does not simply tell us why we need to save the apes – he brings us on a journey with the apes and by the end of the book, we feel compelled to save the apes.
...eportedly the chimpanzee became an endangered species in 2002. Vital funds for zoo affiliated research and field work should be found elsewhere, because fooling around with another's life – human or animal – is not ours to manipulate.
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.
William Apess broke the mold by writing this autobiography titled A Son of the Forest in 1829, considering it was not a common literary form for his time. Apess also set the bar as the earliest autobiography written and published by a Native American. Throughout the piece we learn his highs and lows, the prejudices he encountered, his different jobs, and his ordainment as a minister.
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.
The first main part that this can be observed in is the opening scene, where apes are being captured from the wild for scientific experimentation. This can fit in with Hughes’ explanations, in that the apes (the natural) are being taken from their environment, without a sense that they will ever return. The point of natural destruction through technological advancement can also be observed with the company Will works for. Will realizes that the drug he has been working on is not natural and dangerous, in terms of effects on apes, and thus should not be developed further. This ties back into these conventions, as it shows the creation of new technologies that consume that natural world into something else. Furthermore, the company takes over,
Children, adults, families won’t be able to see them and spend time together in the zoo watching them. Everybody savors to see them monkey around. This issue is serious if nobody knows then nobody will care. Apes needs to be saved. One by one… the population is
Monkey see, monkey do. Apes have always been thought to have an increased level of intelligence. Over the years, researchers have attempted to understand the degree of intelligence these primates possess. However, it is essential to understand the definition of intelligence in order to determine the amount of intelligence primates have. Intelligence is the capability of obtaining knowledge and being able to utilize it in everyday situations. There are many hypotheses that focus on the evolution of intelligence in primates that view a number of factors including brain size and modernism. Primate intelligence has been a topic of interest to many because it will allow us to further understand the close relationship between humans and primates. Additionally, we will be able to understand the difference between human and primate cognition. Some studies suggest that the human and primate brains possess many similarities. This demonstrates why primates tend to respond to stimuli in a manner that is closely related to humans. Researchers have conducted a number of studies in an effort to understand primate cognition.
The reasoning for this research was to observe chimpanzees in the wild for an extended amount of time and do so in the detail to record behavior which a conclusion could then be drawn from (Larsen 2017, pg 166). While gaining the chimpanzees trust Goodall was able to study them for hours which she was then able to record their unique behaviors and provide new research (Larsen 2017, pg 166). Goodall found many new aspects of chimpanzees lives which shocked other anthropologists’ views on the apes. The findings included that chimpanzees are highly intelligent, create social bonds, and construct tools for hunting (Larsen 2017, pg
The 2001 film, Planet of the Apes represents a dystopian world. A dystopian world describes an imaginary society that is as dehumanising and as unpleasant as possible. In the film Planet of the Apes, the world is ruled by humanoid apes who can speak the human language and who treat human beings as their slaves. The world has been represented so that the roles of humans and apes have been reversed in the film, the apes have taken over the superior role in the world whereas the humans have been downgraded to the, as referred to, as the 'dirty animals '. This juxtaposition is thought provoking; it makes us think about how we treat animals and those we see as lesser human in our world and
Jane Goodall Among the Wild Chimpanzees Jane Goodall is a woman who has and still does work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, South Africa. The first time she went to Tanzania was on July 14, 1960 when she was just 26 years old. Because of her research and studies of many different chimpanzees, we as humans will be able to better understand ourselves and other primates. At first, Jane just sat on a peak at the top of a mountain, so that she could observe the chimps. The chimpanzees would keep a safe distance away so they were able to watch Jane and make sure that she wasn’t going to hurt them in any way.
The destruction of their habitat and destruction are the two great threats to the gorillas. The places where they are found are poor and densely populated. The land that is set aside for gorillas is being taken over by agriculture. The wire traps that poachers set out for antelope usually end up catching gorillas instead. People kill them for their heads and hands as trophies. The western lowland gorilla is listed as an endangered species.
The first time I got to know about the planet of the apes series movie was about a year ago when the movie Dawn of the Planet of the Apes first came out. The movie didn’t seem very attractive for me at the very beginning, but it turned out to be great that we mocked the ape sound as we came out of the theater. Later in English class, I learned that there are many more original series films and we actually had a chance to watch and discuss the very first Planet of the Apes (1968). Compared to the Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the 1968 original film has of course less computer graphic effects but has more meaningful and profound implications. Planet of the Apes is a film about many different things.
Bushmeat is a popular source of animal protein in West and Central Africa. With population rates on the rise, demand for bushmeat is projected to double in two decades. A study found that over 50 percent of the meat sold in markets was wild game with sales estimated at $50 million. Primate meat accounts for 20 percent of that income. The off-take of hunting is not sustainable. Even in circumstances where apes inhabit legally protected forces, it has been reported that chimpanzees are hunted in 50 percent of their protected areas, bonobos in 88 percent and gorillas in 56 percent.