August 2011
28 posts
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Zoo To Breed Chimpanzees Despite Cruelty Warning
A Scottish zoo is planning to start a new breeding programme for chimpanzees, in the wake of recent research suggesting that captivity drives chimps mad.
The plan for new chimpanzee breeding at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling follows findings from the University of Kent showing that serious behavioural abnormalities – “some of which could be compared to mental illness in...
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Expedition In Amazon Discovers Possible New...
A possible new species of monkey has been discovered during an expedition in an unexplored part of the Amazon in mid-western Brazil.
A specimen, which scientists know is a type of Callicebus, or titi, monkey has been turned over to experts at the Emílio Goeldi Museum in the Brazilian state of Para, where it will be studied and formally described.
“This primate has features on its head...
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Building A Smarter Ape?
In the film, scientists use chimp subjects in a gene therapy experiment that triggers the growth of new brain cells. That makes some of the chimps act a lot like humans - adopting language, writing and drawing. Which raises the question: If chimpanzees got brainier, would they start acting like humans? And if we tweaked a few chimp genes, could we endow them with the ability to speak,...
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Cultural Transmission : Orangutans wash, cool off,...
An Orangutan at Tokyo’s Tama Zoo has become an Internet star thanks to a video that shows the tidy primate cleaning itself with a washcloth.
The two-minute clip, shot on an 86 degree day at the zoo, shows the orangutan dipping a washcloth in water, ringing it out and wiping its face and upper body. The primate even mops up spilt water droplets afterward.
A smaller orangutan...
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Infant Stress In Monkeys Has Life-long...
Baby monkeys grew up anxious and anti-social after the stress of separation from their mothers, a study says.
It suggests changes to the brains of infant monkeys may be irreversible, and the study could be a model for humans.
An early shock to the system may leave the monkeys prone to a life of anxiety, poor social skills and depression.
But the work could point the way to better management...
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Paignton Zoo Gorilla Helps Make Charity Walking...
Walking sticks ‘made’ be a Gorilla at a Devon Zoo are being sold to help ape conservation.
Kumbuka, a 13-year-old lowland gorilla at Paignton Zoo, helps by stripping the bark off lengths of hazel.
The stick is then retrieved by keepers and finished off by Dave Ellacott, a warden at Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust.
The varnished walking sticks are sold on eBay, with the money...
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Chimp Breaks Into Zoo Kitchen
A chimpanzee broke out of her enclosure at a zoo in England and pilfered the zoo’s kitchen, officials say.
It took Twycross Zoo staff members 40 minutes to calm Josie the chimp after she was found smashing pots and pans, and throwing food at employees in the kitchen at the Atherstone, England, zoo, The Sun reported Monday.
“Josie decided she wanted an extra snack and managed to...
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Ancient Primate Fossil Unearthed
Researchers working in Uganda say they have unearthed the well-preserved fossil skull of an ancient primate.
The 20 million-year-old specimen comes from the site of an extinct volcano in Uganda’s north-east Karamoja region.
The scientists say preliminary analysis showed the tree-climbing herbivore was roughly 10 years old when it died.
The skull is about the same size as that of a...
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Meet Tia, A Rare Baby Mongoose Lemur
Born May 13th at the UK’s Linton Zoo, this rare baby Mongoose Lemur, named “Tia,” has just begun to adventure about her exhibit. Both Mum “Maggie” aged 16, and 21 year old dad “Henry” are clearly pleased with the new arrival. “Megan” their five year old daughter is as excited as any sibling would be. She too is helping out with the daily care...
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Orangutans Observed Smoking Cigarettes Given...
Investigators following up on a previous visit to an animal park in Malaysia where they observed an orangutan smoking cigarettes have been disappointed by what they have seen.
Sean Whyte, Chief Executive of Nature Alert, says: “Providing orangutans with enough enrichment on a daily basis is neither difficult or costly.”
Johor Zoo adult orangutans Shirley and Abu had been given plastic bin...
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Monkeys Did Not Gain Big Brains By Shrinking Guts
Did shrinking guts and high-energy food help us evolve enormous, powerful brains? The latest round in the row over what’s known as the “expensive tissue hypothesis” says no. But don’t expect that to settle the debate.
The hypothesis has it that in order to grow large brains relative to body size, our ancestors had to free up energy from elsewhere - perhaps by switching to...
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Captive Chimps Choose To Help Their Neighbours
The willingness to help strangers and not expect anything in return is supposed to be a uniquely human characteristic but scientists have shown that chimps are also capable of altruism.
A study of chimpanzees kept at a primate research centre in the United States has for the first time found that, under certain circumstances, captive apes will help other individuals without appearing to expect...
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Bundle of Good News For Last Surviving Baboon...
Howletts Animal Park near Canterbury in England is home to three Gelada Baboons – one male, named Agolo, and two females named Jima and Sereba. Keepers were thrilled when they discovered that Sereba had been successfully mated by Agolo resulting in the birth of a male baby named Leena. Agolo and Sereba have proved themselves to be very successful parents while Jima has taken on the role of Aunt...
I'm back :)
Be back soon
I’m going home for a week.
More primate-ness then :)
