The first topic addressed in this book that I will focus on is the social behavior of apes, specifically on courting rituals and mating behavior, such as the love dance performed by the “humans” in the novel. The second topic is the (in)capability of apes to produce human speech. In the novel, the apes all speak human language, but in reality, this is not a likely possibility. To elaborate on the first topic, when the “humans” in the novel are taken to the research facility, Ulysse soon realizes that they were brought there so that the apes could “study in captivity the amorous practices of men, the methods of approach of the male and the female, [and] the manner in which they copulate” (Boulle 39). To put it simply, the apes wanted to study the mating behavior of these men. Ulysse discovers that before copulation, the man engages in some sort of courting act that resembles “a sort of slow, hesitant dance consisting of steps forward, backward, and sideways” (Boulle 40). He circles around the female while she also pivots around, watching the male, and this display of love is concluded with sexual intercourse.
I decided to look at the sexual behavior of bonobos because they are known for their frequent sexual behavior. Though they are not one of the types of great apes mentioned in the book, a bonobo is nonetheless a great ape that belongs in the same genus as the common chimpanzee. Furuichi et al. observed bonobos in their naturalistic habitat in Wamba, Democratic Republic
-Bonobo’s display a varied degree of sexual dimorphism, which is a characteristic specific to either male or female sex. When comparing the two sexes, males are more muscular and hold an average weight of 95 pounds compared to an average of 82 pounds and a slighter built female, a 15 percent weight difference between them. Sexual dimorphism is also apparent in that males possess a unique dental trait, long canines, a feature that females lack. Both sexes are similar in that neither has a height advantage, averaging 2.3 to 3 feet in height. (Waal 24) Bonobo’s possess long, fine black hair covering most of the body and black colored hands and feet. Their black faces feature wide, thick walled nostrils and long black facial hair that often covers their small ears. Their head hair
Despite a lack of scientific academic education, Jane Goodall’s work on the chimpanzees made revolutionary breakthrough in the field of understanding chimpanzee behavior. It was all made possible by her firm belief on her unconventional methods which academics in the field eyed with cynicism and felt was pointless. Such pessimistic outlook on her efforts from established academics did not blight her morale; instead she carried on with her methods of analyzing the chimpanzee population with full enthusiasm and self belief.
This book was about the life of apes in their natural habitat that is being destroyed. Stanford highly pushed the idea of extinction and what people are doing to the apes. Stanford explains the threats to the ape's survival and tells us ideas that could help stop or slow down the decline of the ape population. He tells us about the complex cultural, social, economic and
The three sites where hunting has been observed in bonobo populations are Wamba, Lamaki and Lui Kotale. Chimpanzees have been observed more often in hunting prey, and the few cases of hunting in bonobos could be attributed to a lower level of violence found in bonobo populations. At the site of Lui Kotale, in the Salonga national Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo fresh bonobo feces was analyzed on a regular basis to see what the bonobo diet consisted of. The samples are first broken down to find the bigger undigested material, ten run through mesh to pull out anything else.
While I thought that Peterson’s descriptions sufficed to help the readers see how apes were treated – dead or alive, the pictures were more shocking. Originally, I skipped over the pictures, but they served to help bring Peterson’s words to life. Prior
Ghose, Tia. "Male Sexual Aggression: What Chimps Can Reveal About People." LiveScience.com. Purch, 1 Nov. 2014. Web. 18 Mar. 2016..
Many scientists and theorists have used primates to determine what early human sexuality might have been like. We have all descended from primates, Homo Sapiens are 1 of 5 surviving species of great apes; Alongside Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Gorillas and Orangutans. Evolutionary theorists Ryan and Jetha used primates, specifically Bonobos, to prove our ancestors promiscuity. Zuk however, uses example from all primates to show various types of living, not just promiscuity. By
After about 10 minutes, he is abruptly bothered by the youngster who is running on his knuckles towards the male and runs back up the hill as if he is taunting him. The youngster does it about 3 mores times within the next 7 minutes and perches upon the hill in the same position as the silverback, except he is bended at the knees in squat position. In my second visit, I return to the gorilla exhibit for about 10 minutes to see a female unknown if related to the previous observation in submission. She is found crouched to the floor with her elbows on the ground and hands extended out and her butt perched up. Her hind legs are also bent and position to help support her butt. Three minutes upon observation, a silverback male comes running on his knuckles from another part of the exhibit and mounts the female. He positions himself on his knuckles to provide him support and continues with the sexual intercourse, in which I conclude my observations.
Planet of the Apes takes the world as we know it and turns it upside down and in so doing questions almost every belief and value system of mankind. Written and produced at a time when America and much of the world was in the midst of a cultural change and people were questioning and protesting everything the screenwriters take make this film a satirical and thought provoking commentary on the big questions of the era. The Vietnam War, the struggle for equal treatment of African Americans and a general mindset of questioning religion and traditional values were the things that made up the American culture of the nineteen sixties. The film grapples with and makes ant attempt to address most of the issues of the period in which it was written. Three thousand years into the future man has devolved into a non-speaking primitive being while apes have evolved into intellectual beings capable of rational thought and speech. Taylor, the captain of the spaceship and tragic hero, speaks his last words before hibernating his way into the distant future, he states that he is leaving the twentieth century and asks a question, “Tell me, though, does man, that marvel of the universe, that glorious paradox who sent me to the stars, still make war against his brother ... keep his neighbor's children starving?” Taylor, a cynic and skeptic, sees man as violent and destructive. When he arrives in the future to a world where apes are supreme the antagonist of the film, Dr.
Within this essay, we will study more in depth the behavioral as well as physical traits of two primates at a zoo from their interaction with their peers to their place in the group. This observation would enable us to further understand the possible existing correlation between humans and primates. First, I studied a female chimpanzee with her baby, and then, a dominant male gorilla, in San Francisco Zoo at about noon, on May 23, 2015, for an hour each. Even though they share some similarities such as having a large brain, living for a long time, and being bored in their enclosure, they are still different; when gorillas are the largest, chimpanzees are the smartest. In fact, chimps use tools to catch food, they would not be able to reach
Kavanagh, M. & Morris, D. (1983). Complete guide to monkeys, apes and other primates. London: Viking Press.
Addressing the various mating systems of primates and its relation to sexual size dimorphism and behavior contributes to understanding evolutionary processes and patterns. The different methods of mating are significant to study because they demonstrate the outcomes of natural selection on mate choice. These varying mating methods also aide in understanding the origin of
The extent in which chimpanzees are able to communicate nowhere near reaches a humans ability. Though they are able to make noises and use body language, they lack the cognitive and physical ability to truly speak. Even chimpanzees that spent their whole life in a human environment where they were taught sign language could only, at most, sign a short and incoherent sentence. Though this level of intellect is astounding in comparison to any other species, it nowhere near matches the communication skills that humans have evolved to have.
Whereas chimpanzees usually hunt in groups, bonobos are more of a solitary hunter. Hunting in chimpanzees promotes male bonds but since bonobos have weak male bonds their efforts to hunt are probably roused by reproductive advantages. Bonobos have been seen hunting in Lui Kotale in the Solonga National park. The bonobos would change their course when they detected prey then after listening for their location rush into the trees in pursuit. The bonobos observed were silent during the hunt and the individual who made the kill was very possessive of the carcass, but would meat share in a similar fashion to the chimpanzee.
When Planet of the Apes opened in theaters, few people knew what to expect. To most, the idea of a movie with the premise of a planet full of intelligent apes went against everything they had been taught. The initial attraction was the superb cast, spearheaded by Charlton Heston who portrays Taylor, an astronaut who crashes onto the planet. Heston was joined by many popular actors and actress such as, Roddy McDowell as Cornelius, Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius and Kim Hunter as Zira. Though the cast may have been the initial draw, the content is what has made the movie Planet of the Apes a classic that will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.