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What's New, What's News ..... Scotch Macaskill's Wildlife Blog |
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Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee, Close-up May 1, 2008 |
Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) close up, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Additional Info: Chimpanzees, along with gorillas, humans, and orangutans, are members of the Hominidae family but it is chimpanzees that are the closest living evolutionary relatives to humans. We shared a common ancestor with chimpanzees five to eight million years ago. Ground-breaking research by Mary-Claire King in 1973 found 99% identical DNA between human beings and chimpanzees, although other researchers put the figure closer to 94%. Renowned primatologist Dr Jane Goodall, who has dedicated her adult life to studying chimpanzees, says the "structure of the chimpanzee brain is startlingly similar to that of the human". To quote from the
Jane Goodall Institute website:
Once we admit that we are not the only beings with personality, reasoned thought, and above all, the ability to feel and express emotions such as joy, despair and empathy, then we develop a new respect for chimpanzees. The line between human and other non-human beings, once thought so sharp, becomes blurred. This forces us to a new respect also for the other amazing animal beings with whom we share the planet.
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Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee No.3 May 2, 2008 |
Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) lying on concrete step with its head on its hand, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Additional Info: This is the third in a series of pictures showing captive chimpanzees. It's the chimps' eyes that get to me, leaving me to ponder what's going through their minds. A reader of the blog, commenting on the first picture, asks: "How are these chimps treated anyway? I know of several chimps that are in captivity, and they are so happy, lively and content. Their owners are really looking after them. Why is this one so sad?" From my superficial observation, I can't say how they're treated but my guess is pretty well compared to many captive chimps, specially those held in small cages. The enclosure is fairly large with a sloping, grassed area leading to concrete steps and a water-filled moat. There is a system of poles and ropes to climb, plus a weather-proof hut they can access when they want. I'm sure they're well-fed and receive all necessary medical treatment. The owners of the zoo are animal trainers, so it makes economic sense to look after the inmates. Here are links to short video clips, taken with a basic digital camera so the quality is low, that give some idea of the chimps' living conditions (videos will open in new browser window).
I obviously can't comment on whether the chimps are sad or happy. They certainly make me feel sad. But my guess is that they're simply incredibly bored, with nothing to challenge their survival instincts. Richard Despard Estes in his book The Behavior Guide to African Mammals, describes the chimpanzee as "volatile, indvidualistic, independent". He adds that "its size, superhuman strength (an adult male has the strength of three men) and climbing skill afford it independence, there being little to fear in the forest from creatures other than men and leopards". This allows chimpanzees to "wander freely through Africa's forests and woodlands". These chimpanzees have lost the independence that allows their relatives in the wild to wander freely where they want.
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Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee No.4 May 4, 2008 |
Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) with hands to its mouth, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Additional Info: The discovery that chimpanzees use "tools" for certain purposes surprised the world. But it's now accepted that they posseses the skill and intelligence to prepare and use grass stems and sticks to fish for insects, hammer with and throw stones, strip leaves from a branch, peel fruit, and the like.
They have hands that can grip firmly, allowing them to pick up objects. However, the long hands and fingers combined with a short thumb (below left) prevent prevent them from opposing the thumb and fingertips. They can nevertheless pick up small objects between the thumb and side of the index finger. In addition, the feet are adapted for grasping, with a long, stout, opposable big toe (see right, and below right, where the foot is being use to grasp a hand).
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Today's Picture: African Hawk Eagle May 14, 2008 |
Photo Details: Close-up of immature African Hawk Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus), Palace of the Lost City, South Africa.
Additional Info: This impressive looking raptor, still a juvenile, was photographed during a falconry training session with its falconer (handler) - see picture right, which gives an idea of the size of the bird. Wikipedia defines falconry or hawking as "an art or sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game for humans". The rufous coloring of the underparts found in immature African hawk eagles becomes white on the central belly and chest of the adult bird, with clearly defined dark spots.
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