Evolution of study of primates Flashcards
(11 cards)
Modern research vs. past
More in depth than before, recognized importance of comparative behavioural studies.
When were Apes Discovered?
Europeans started travelling, Dutch+orangutans 17th
Chimps 18th
1800s 1st live chimp brought to England
1900s infant gorillas into zoos in US and EU
Darwin + Primates
Not the 1st to study them = 1st to link to evolution
“Expression of the Emotions in Men and Animals” - similarities in facial expressions
Which of our features are comparable to primates?
5 fingered hands + Mobile grasping thumbs
Generalized dentition
Forward facing eyes
Large brain to body
Social groups + complex communication syst.
Long gestation and childhood
When did behavioural studies begin and who studied them?
research done by discovering new species
struc. studied using dead specimens.
Japanese - on Macaques (1950s)
Jane Goodall - on chimps - identified individuals (60s)
George Schaller + Dianne Fossey African Gorillas (90s)
Birute Galdikas Orangutans 70-90s
Method to study behaviour
Recognize individuals + track them
Recognition diff. social roles and relations
Function of diff. calls + facial gestures
Mother + infant bond, dietary diff.
Diff. mating strategies
Goodall = tool use + making chimps
How did they do this research?
Habituation! = food
Studies take years, base camps, local pop. + government.
Tape recorders, notes, cameras.
Field experiments.
Object use w/ apes
Tool=detached, manipulated, fucntional.
Goodall = termite fishing sticks
W.African Chimps = stone hammers + anvils
Orangutan nest?
Gorilla assessed how deep water was w/ stick
Macaques + tool use
Object use in various ways, not always detached.
bang coconuts or crabs to open them on tree.
Macaques like making noise w/ hard objects.
Ape Art
Very controversial
There ARE statistical diff. between species + sexes in use of colour.
Apes are intentional when painting.
Characteristics of Chimp Art
4 colours, yellow is first, all four edges crosses, straight line, use of negative space.
