Evolution of study of primates Flashcards
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.
