Monkey Poetry

Monkey Poetry 

Style: Haiku 

Writer: Jennifer 

Source: Hi! Monkey.net

Eventually, The monkey will type Shakespeare. Hi! Monkey! dot net.

I have selected to comment this haiku poem because it is striking (as it relates to primates and intelligence). For some background, a haiku is a form of poetry popularized by Japanese writers, featuring a short, cutting style with a 5-7-5 arrangement of syllables (...not exactly syllables, but really distinct phonetic sounds). Regardless, this haiku by Jennifer is very interesting because it captures the spirit of the primate (seemingly jumpy and energetic) with a highly conceptual theory. The theory associated with typing Shakespeare is called the "infinite monkey theorem". This theory states that given enough time ("eventually" from the haiku), a monkey could reproduce a text from William Shakespeare. This theory assumes that a monkey typing on a keyboard is the equivalent to random typing, and a mathematical formula shows that with enough time, the combinations will provide something extraordinary. This theory made news last September as a software developer is putting the theory to the test, Digital monkeys with typewriters recreate Shakespeare(CNN.com). Finally, the writer closes by including the website link of the poem in the haiku itself (which I find silly, but very clever). 

For more interesting Non-Fiction Primates Tales, please visit : http://www.pacificprimate.org/stories.htm

How to Conduct a Primates Participant Observational Study

The evolution of anthropological and scientific knowledge and understanding relies on drawing meaningful conclusions from investigational studies. These studies are constructed from a variety of study designs, techniques/methods, and analysis depending on the research question at hand. One such widely used study in animal behavior (ethology) is known as the participant observational study (Research Methods, Participant Observation). In this blog, I will provide some thoughts on how to design, execute, and analyze a participant observational study for primates, so that readers form some new and different perspectives on the importance of primate behavior research and those committed to pursuing it.

Jane Goodall (Observation of Chimpanzees)

Like most studies, the investigation begins at a central research question. This research question can be simple or complex, depending on the objectives, species, environment, complicating factors or variables, etc. One example of a research question could be: "does crowd noise at the Bronx Zoo exhibit impact grooming behavior for siamangs (symphalangus syndactylus)?" Once you arrive at the central research question, the next step is to propose a hypothesis. The hypothesis step is critical because it sets the scope (or boundaries) for your observational study. In this case, the hypothesis could be that "significant crowd noise (generated by weekend attendance) reduces grooming activities by 25% in the captive siamangs" because the noise is disruptive. 

A photo I took while observing the Siamang Monkeys at New Orleans Zoo

With our research question and hypothesis formed (and hopefully articulated based on some prior knowledge and analogous research), we can design the study. The study design includes the remaining Ws: what will you observe, when will you observe it, where will you observe it, and finally, how will the observation be performed. For our continuing example, we can design a study to involve weekend observations (study group) and weekday observations (control group), with a sampling of 20 visits each for 1hr at the same exhibit at morning and afternoon sessions. At this point, we would also determine exactly what would be measured to evaluate grooming (total time grooming? total number of partners? etc) and other data points to collect (time, temperature, zoo visitors, etc). The next step is to actually execute the study according to your design. If a team is performing the participant observations, make sure that they are trained together and execute the same techniques from the same perspectives. Studies must be completed consistently and rigorously to ensure that the data is meaningful. The last step of this process is typically the analysis of the data and the determination of whether it supports the hypothesis. The data must be integrated, segmented, and analyzed according to the study design, with statistics providing the significant relationships between the variables (ex: crowd attendance vs. total grooming time in the study and control set of data). At this point, with some solid analysis, you may be able to begin to draw conclusions from the study and potentially report out the learnings to colleagues and/or a scientific journal. Most studies can also help to craft the next study, as the investigations become more and more focused.

Evolution!

The evolution and biological iteration of the primate is one of the most fascinating aspects of the historical "timeline of life". For a non-biologist/anthropologist, primate evolution may appear quite complicated and interconnected. In this blog, I will break down this complex process into some simple milestones and explain how we arrived at the species of monkeys that currently roam our world.

 

The very first class of creatures to resemble a primate was the Euarchonta, an early class of mammal that appeared around 70 million years ago (mya). This half-squirrel, half-primate was tree-living with claws and forward facing eyes (located on both sides of its head). The next milestone for primate evolution occurred around 40 million years ago, during which the early proto-primates split up into two groups with distinct and emerging characteristics, the Strepsirrhini (wet-nosed) and Haplorrhini (dry-nosed) primates. The Strepsirrhini developed into lemurs and lorises, some of the smaller-bodied, rodent-like, truly tree-dwelling primates. However, the Haplorrhini as a group diverged again about 10 million years later into what we now call "New World monkeys" and "Old World monkeys".

New World and Old World monkeys spent the next 20 million or so years further evolving and defining themselves (through a process called speciation), but their key and differentiating characteristics remain the same today. New World monkeys feature a flat nose, longer prehensile tails (a functional tail used for tree-swinging), small to mid-sized bodies, and live in the tropical canopy of Central and South America. Some of these primates include the spider monkey, sakis, marmosets, and tamarins. In contrast, Old World monkeys are probably the ones you pay close attention to at your local zoo. These primates feature a downward-facing nose, mid to large-sized bodies, non-prehensile tails, anywhere from partial tree-dweller to land-dweller, and live in a range of habitats across Africa and Asia. Some of these primates include baboons, gorillas, and macaques. These primates survived quite well and developed into the human era around 7 million years ago.

Our World or Theirs?

Although we all love the zoo and its many attractions, we have all probably (at some point) let our minds drift off and think of the animals in the exhibits. This week's post will focus on the standing debate of animals living in captivity compared to their natural environments. 

   
To better understand the issue at hand, let's take a look at some of the pros and cons associated with animals living in captivity (ex: zoo setting). The captive environment allows us to repopulate endangered species, as many threats such as disease and poaching are eliminated. Additionally, we can nurse newborns rejected by their mothers and rehabilitate sick or injured animals. These animals can bring a sense of appreciation to the public as children are exposed to their beauty growing up. 
                                                                                                                                                                       
However, the other side of captivity is often more complicated and can be quite dark. Captivity can expose animals to cruel practices and abuse, extensive or unnecessary scientific experimentation, and sometimes permanently altered animal behavior. Also, animals in captivity often have lower reproduction rates, non-seasonal diets, a level of stress from their interactions with humans, and a lack of enriching stimuli for the body and brain.

   
I have studied animal biology and worked and interned in a zoo setting long enough to form a basic opinion on the issue. However, like all opinions and beliefs, it is possible that it will evolve as I commit to a career in this field.

    
Animal welfare has become a trendy and more commonly discussed topic over the past several years. Advocate groups like Peta (People of the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the WWFHuman Society (Wild Wildlife Foundation) are growing in popularity as we all find ourselves tearing up during those similar commercials, singing along with Sarah Mclachlanin. 

While I am clearly aware of the potential for life-saving, medical and disease breakthrough that continue to save countless lives, the "captivity status quo" is below the standards we should provide to animals. Zoos and other institutions must commit the budget to optimally create the animals "natural habitat"; funding levels play a huge role in the standard of care. Established rules are often not carefully followed, and some additional guidelines (and their enforcement) can dramatically improve the animal's quality of life. I believe as long as these and new more rigid standards are and can be met broadly across all our animal institutions, captivity is ultimately a beneficial thing.