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Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee No.4

Sun, 4 May 2008 00:08:15 +0200

Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) with hands to its mouth, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 400mm; Shutter speed: 1/60; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

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).

Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee No.3

Fri, 2 May 2008 15:05:32 +0200

Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) lying on concrete step with its head on its hand, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 310mm; Shutter speed: 1/80; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

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).
Video1
Video2
Video3

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.

Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee, Close-up

Thu, 1 May 2008 12:58:40 +0200

Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) close up, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 400mm; Shutter speed: 1/200; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

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.

Today's Picture: Captive Chimpanzee

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:13:42 +0200

Photo Details: Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) sitting on its haunches in the chimpanzee enclosure, Natal Zoological Gardens, KZN, South Africa.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D; Lens: Canon 100-400 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 235mm; Shutter speed: 1/125; Aperture: f5; ISO: 400.

Additional Info: I know we shouldn't ascribe human thoughts and emotions to animals, but this picture, together with others I have of captive chimpanzees, leaves me deeply moved. I find it impossible to ignore the look in their eyes. It's not so much anger and/or acccusation, as one might expect, but rather a resigned acceptance of the fate they've been handed by their human brethren.

To illustrate what I mean, I will be running more pictures of captive chimpanzees over the next few days, even though they are not of animals in the wild, which is what I normally try to show on this site.

Today's Picture: Waterbuck Bull, Rear View

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:46:57 +0200

Photo Details: Waterbuck Bull (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) walking away, showing the distinctiive white ring encircling its rump, Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block, Botswana.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EOS 70-300 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 280mm; Shutter speed: 1/00; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

Additional Info: The smaller picture on the right, taken moments before the waterbuck swung away and walked off, shows the white ring from the side.

The purpose of this unusual marking is not known, although animal behaviourists speculate it could be a following mechanism, acting as a beacon for other members of the group to follow. The defassa waterbuck (a sub-species occurring mainly to the west of Africa's Rift Valley) has a solid white patch on its rump instead of the elliptical ring.

Send a WWF card on Earth Day

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:47:42 +0200

Tomorrow is Earth Day! Spread the joy of this meaningful day with a free e-card that highlights the beauty and diversity of our planet. Check out WWF's new Earth Day E-card Collection!

Lush Amazon

Brilliant Butterfly

Glowing Flowers

Submerged Beauty

Idyllic Beach

Mountain Majesty

Sending a WWF e-card is fun, easy and free! Let your friends and family know that you care about saving the Earth's wild places and animals for future generations.

Send a Free Earth Day E-card

Today's Picture: Spotted Hyena Pup

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:36:21 +0200

Photo Details: Spotted Hyena pup (Crocuta crocuta) emerges from its den to inspect our game drive vehicle, Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block, Botswana.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EOS 70-300 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 300mm; Shutter speed: 1/50; Aperture: f8; ISO: 400.

Please Note: Pictures displayed on this wildlife blog are copyright protected. View them online, enjoy them, but kindly do not use them for anything else. Should you wish to purchase an image or require clarification on use, please contact Scotch Macaskill.

Today's Picture: Secretarybird Striding Through the Bush

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:56:41 +0200

Photo Details: Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) striding importantly through the bushveld, Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block, Botswana.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EOS 70-300 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 300mm; Shutter speed: 1/1600; Aperture: f8; ISO: 400.

Addional Info: The secretarybird, with its long legs and grey and black body, is a large bird that can be as tall as 1.5m (over 4ft). The bare facial skin is a bright orange-red, while the short, sturdy beak is a pale blue-grey color. The distinctive long black feathers on the top of the head form a crest that lies flat most of the time but can be raised, forming an impressive "crown".

Secretarybirds can usually be found in pairs, walking through grassland or bushveld. They are regarded as the world's only terrestrial or ground-living eagles because their lifestyle and breeding habits are so similar to those of the eagles. Although secretarybirds have gained a reputation as snake catchers, snakes do not form a major part of their diet and they will eat insects, small mammals, reptiles, and eggs - in other words they're not fussy eaters!

Today's Picture: Impala Running and "Stotting"

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:20:35 +0200

Photo Details: Impala (Aepyceros melampus) running across our path, some distance ahead of our game drive vehicle, Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block, Botswana.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EOS 70-300 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 140mm; Shutter speed: 1/800; Aperture: f5.6; ISO: 400.

Addional Info: As we neared a large herd of impala to one side of the track, a few decided it was time to move and sprinted off, heading from our right to our left. Others then followed - singly, in pairs and small groups - almost as if they were starting a race from a staggered start and were also being judged on their acrobatic performance.

When impala and certain other antelope are excited or alarmed, they exhibit behavior called "stotting" in which they spring and bound with all four feet off the ground, interspersed with acrobatic leaps from which they land on their front legs almost in a "hand-stand" position.

As the impala came bouncing past I was able to switch my camera to a slow shutter speed (1/30) and take some panned shots which, I think, give a better impression of their speed and excitement. See below:

Today's Picture: Hyena at Speed

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:18:37 +0200

Photo Details: Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) running at full tilt along dry riverbed after spotting a lioness further along and wisely turning tail, Mashatu Game Reserve, Tuli Block, Botswana.
Camera: Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi); Lens: Canon EOS 70-300 IS Zoom; Focal Length: 300mm; Shutter speed: 1/320; Aperture: f8; ISO: 400.