...particular seeks to bring to the light the biology and behavior of the mountain gorilla, and by the end also attempt to show the reasons and attempts to conserve this critically endangered species of primates. The mountain gorilla is considered one of the biggest primates in terms of physical attributes. The classification of this type of gorilla is very direct. Under the kingdom Animalia, the taxonomy flows to phylum Chordata, then subphylum Vertebrata, then class Mammalia and then its specific order Primates. The family is Hominidae, which is the same family as human beings, thus explaining the similarity in some attributes. This family also houses the chimpanzees and orangutans. The Hominidae are characterized by the existence of thumbs and also relatively big toes, of course excluding human beings. Further, they have well developed forearms for holding things and relatively longer legs for locomotion. More often than not, this family is confused with the family Hylobatidae which houses the apes and gibbons. However, the distinctive difference is the fact that Hominidae do not have a tail and their denture is more developed. Their teeth structure is very unique due to the presence of canines that have been known to develop into some form of tusks, and incisors are very broad to accommodate their feeding habits and diets. (Lanjouw, 2008). Down the classification tree, these primates are under the genus Gorilla. According to primatologists, this genus is...
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...There are many factors that impact western low land gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) behavior. These behaviors can be triggered by the environment and disturbances that occur in or around their environment. A western low land gorilla’s (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) behavior effects their eating and foraging habits (Doran McNeilage 1998). For example, when there is an increase in human presence eating and foraging decreases and awareness increases. The cause of the increase of awareness can come from the increase of physiological stress. From the effect of physiological stress a western low land gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) will focus on the disturbance than their own needs. Disturbances that occur can be from human (Homo sapiens) presence....
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...THE MOUNTAIN GORILLAS The mountain gorilla, a large,strong ape is the most endangered gorilla. Mountain gorillas are as shy as they are strong. Mountain gorillas are gentle and affectionate. When threatened they can be aggressive, they beat their chests and let out angry massive grunts and roars. Group leaders will charge at the threat and mothers will fight till death to protect their young. They do not hurt humans unless threatened or attacked. Gorillas are one of the most feared animals on the planet.The thick hair that keeps them warm in cold mountain temperatures. They have large jaws and teeth. They get huge muscle and hair on their head to make it even larger when they get old. Their head makes their eyes and ears look dwarfed. A fully grown male mountain gorilla weigh up to...
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...Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are facing a battle for survival. Even though their populations have increase from 620 animals in 1989 to around 786 today (WWF), there have been many years of unrest. Just over half of these gorillas live around the Virunga volcanoes, which connects Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Saving a Species: Gorillas on the Brink, 2007). Natalie Portman and Jack Hanna visited Virunga National Park in search of the endangered Mountain Gorilla, and to shed light on the current conservation issues facing them today. They touched on how populations are being decimated by conflict and poaching, although the efforts of several conservation organizations, such as the African Conservation...
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...Maisie and Indie are up close against the railing that wraps around the gorilla’s enclosure. Indie asks, “Oh, oh aren’t they gross?” about the two gorillas who are sitting up, almost on top of the glass. One of the gorillas is much smaller than the other. When I point to her and say, “She must be the female,” Indie asks, “So?” Bane says, “I bet you’re right,” and Indie and Maisie roll their eyes. Then Bane reads from the little sign next to the railing, “The big one is called Richard, and the female is Kamba. And look,” he says, pointing to a pink piece of paper, “it says Richard is forty-five today.” Julia says, “They’re cute!” Michael mimics Julia, then he calls her a big dork. “Look babe, he’s–yep, he’s jerking off!” Kyran says, grabbing...
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...Grauer Gorilla’s An Analysis of Humanity’s Effect on Grauer’s Gorillas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. By Will Purdy 1011L Nov. 11, 2014 Introduction: Grauer’s Gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri), or the eastern lowland gorilla is an extant subspecies of the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei matschie) endemic to the eastern forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Grauer’s gorilla is biologically significant, in that it is the largest living primate. According to the IUCN (2014), Grauer’s gorilla, like many of it’s great-ape relatives, is an endangered species. When searching for the reason this animal has become endangered we have no further to look than the closest mirror; adult Eastern Lowland gorillas have no natural predators other than humans. This paper presents an analysis of humanity’s contributions from 1991 to present day towards the current endangered status of Grauer’s gorillas. The paper is organized into three main drivers of endangerment: Conflict and instability; Deforestation and environmental degradation; and poaching. The majority of the research in this paper was collected in the Kahuzi-Biega national park located along the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Body: Up through the mid 1990’s the population of Grauer’s gorillas was estimated to be around 17,000 individuals. A decade later in 2005, populations were estimated to be around 8,000 individuals or less (IUCN 2014). A reasonable question to ask would...
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...Eastern lowland gorilla The past ten years the Eastern Lowland Gorillas has lowered the seventy percent. This Was mostly caused by wars in their area where they live, which is the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are only about 5,000 of these gorillas remain.(in brief,2004).Gorillas are the largest members of the primate.Gorillas are classified as mammals. The gorilla has been said to be a vicious killer;however they are shy and gentle animals that would not attas live in groupck humans unless disturbed. The males weigh up to 450-550 pounds and the females weigh about half of that. Gorillas called a troop, which can be made up of 2- 40 animals. Many as 40% of the gorillas do not survive after they give birth. Some gorilla species can...
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...Extinction of Great Apes The great apes are humankind’s closest relatives. Great apes include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos, which are also known as pygmy chimps. At the turn of the century, there were approximately one million chimpanzees in Africa. This number has declined down to 150,000. Mountain gorillas have halved in size over the last ten years, leaving only 320 to roam the trees of their homeland. Some say these great apes will face extinction within a decade. Why is this the case and should we let this happen? These apes lose areas of habitat on a daily basis. They are also constantly slaughtered for meat and body parts. These two enormous contributors of great ape depletion are just unnecessary additional threats to the existence of our relatives. We must not forget that there is also disease and environmental catastrophes that kill off these intelligent human-like primates. Humans share up to 98% of their DNA. This makes the great apes a very valuable and important subject for study. There is a lot we can learn from them. Because we are so closely related, this may also be a link to global extinction. Perhaps a more thorough evaluation of each of the factors which contribute to the depletion of the four great apes may help to understand how damaging and unnecessary this depletion has become for them, as well as for us. One of the most influential causes for the mass decline in great apes is due to habitat loss. Habitat loss includes the clearing...
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...World monkeys and catarrhines incorporate Old World monkeys, gorillas, and people. All New World monkeys are arboreal and live in the woods of Central and South America, while Old World monkeys incorporate both earthly and arboreal species. New world monkeys wandered from Old World monkeys around 30 million years back. New World monkeys have numerous remarkable attributes. Their teeth are organized as two incisors, one canine, three premolars, and three molars in every quadrant of the mouth. They have wide noses with round nostrils that open outward. New World monkeys have prehensile (getting a handle on) tails and Old World monkeys don't. Old World monkeys have characteristics that vary from New World monkeys. The teeth of Old World monkeys are composed as two incisors, one canine, two premolars, and three molars in every quadrant, which is an indistinguishable game plan from human teeth. They have limit noses with their nostrils pointing descending. Old World monkeys have either long or short non-prehensile tails. Old World monkeys have trademark anatomical specializations, including calluses on their posteriors for sitting on hard, intense tree limbs or the ground for long eras. Old World monkey females experience obvious estrus, substantial swellings around the genitalia telling guys that they are ovulating. Sexual dimorphism is by all accounts more predominant in Old World monkeys, particularly in the earthbound species....
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...chimpanzees had the ability to teach their young valuable skills such as using tools to crack open nuts. Boesche (1991) found that; “Chimpanzee mothers may influence the development of nut cracking in three ways (excluding the very widespread nut sharing): (1) stimulating; and (2) facilitating nut cracking; and (3) active teaching. Mothers can stimulate nut cracking by leaving hammers or nuts near the anvil” Humans are always teaching their children valuable skills to help in their survival, just as chimpanzee mothers did. There has also been evidence that Australopithecines evolved to make sharp stone tools for other food preparation (Benton, 2013). Another trait we share with the Great Apes is relationships between females. Mountain gorillas have been shown to show more aggression to females they associate with less in the group. Marshian and Nashida (1996) discovered that “Maternal relatives are close associates and often interact affinitively. Serious aggression between them is rare....
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...lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. Donald Johanson and his co-workers were very happy and did not sleep that night. They had been playing the Beatle’s song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds over and over again at their camp. So I had been named Lucy and gave more insight to the evolution of humans and apes. The scientists are not really sure about what I was; human or ape. I had a low forehead, a bony ridge over the eyes, a flat nose, no chin, more humanlike teeth, pelvis and leg bones that resembled those of modern man. My body was smaller than my male friends and the relationship of sexual dimorphism and social group structure was like a modern ape. My father had a number of wives and lived in family groups. It was not like then gorillas; more sexually dimorphic than humans or chimpanzees. Scientists assume I lost of an abductable great toe and the ability to grasp with the foot and was no longer adapted to climbing. My fingers and toe bones were curved and longer than the modern human. I am classified as an ape, not a human. It is a Hominid, which is an ape closely related to human beings. My body size, brain size and skull shape is similar to a chimpanzee but I also have some human characteristics like...
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...According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has killed about 60,000 people. In Sudan, the Janjaweed Militia have killed at least 250,000 men, women, and children. In refugee camps, the Janjaweed Militia “attack towns, villages, and refugee camps, kill the men and boys, rape the women and girls, and poison the wells. Their goal is to replace these African peoples with Arab herders.” In the Democratic Republic of Congo the dead range from three to five million. (Genocide Watch) This type of violence is occurring as I write this paper. Syria, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are all male dominated cultures. The book Demonic Males, by Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson, makes a strong case that human violence, especially in males, is biological. Wrangham and Peterson do a nice job presenting evidence of our link to the great apes. The authors also prove that apes are capable of premeditated acts of violence. Psychologists believe human behavior is 50 percent biology and 50 percent culture while traditional conception of human behavior maintains that people are good or bad, depending on familial and cultural influences. When people do bad things, it is because they came from a dysfunctional family, or they have psychological issues. When culture is responsible for violent acts, a traditional conception is that the culture has the wrong belief system. This culture’s belief system is wrong because it differs from the norm. The norm...
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...Virunga, Assignment 3 April 15th 2016 Virunga, is a documentary film that focuses on a brave team of rangers who risked their lives to protect the last mountain gorillas. In eastern Congo, The Virunga National Park is home to these gorillas. The film begins with the history of Congo. In 1885 millions of citizens where killed. A statement that stood out to me was “a black man is like an animal to me”. In 1994 the civil war broke out where the rebel group was able to profit from minerals. In 2003 a peace agreement was signed and in 2006 they had their first democratic election. In 2010, oil was discovered and by 2012 instability returned back for the Congo people. The filmed featured the rangers fighting for the Virunga National park because Soco International began exploring for oil. What is interesting about this film is that the Congo government welcomed Soco International singing chants and praises as they arrive. Other residents, also supported Soco International because they were bribed with money. On the other hand, these fellow rangers devoted their life to the national park. It was apart of their culture and who they were and what they strongly believed in. My personal favorite part of the film was the gorilla orphanage that had 4 most adorable gorillas. There names were Maisha, Kaboko, Nedsa, Khaski. Each gorilla had their unique characteristics. For example, Kaboko was described as very aggressive but had a great affection to others. Sadly, Kaboko died due to stress when...
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...he feels secure in his role as a fireman of an ocean liner. But when Mildred Douglas comes to the stokehole, she sees him and calls him a filthy beast, which causes an identity crisis in Yank. He goes to New York and finds that he doesn't belong there, either. Eventually, he goes to see the gorillas in the zoo, and the beast kills him in the end of the play. Yank is a representative of an early 20th century industrial worker who loses faith in the machine. The world in "The Hairy Ape" is bleak. Man has lost faith in himself. Many people have idealized wealth and privilege. O'Neill uses Yank's search for belonging to show that loss of faith ends up in death. O'Neill uses steel throughout the story to represent strength. Steel also represents the cage that Yank feels that he is in. This cage is first symbolized by the fireman's forecastle of the ocean liner. "The lines of bunks, the uprights supporting them, cross each other like the steel framework of a cage."(1103) The workers are described as brutes, "hairy-chested, with long arms of tremendous power, and low, receding brows above their small, fierce, resentful eyes."(1104) This description could be used by many to describe the gorilla later in the play. Yank represents their leader, and in the beginning of the story, the men agree with his opinion, and follow along with his jokes when he is trying to "t'ink". The men speak in unison and are compared to machines, suggesting they have been dehumanized. Yank describes his unhappy...
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...WHEN GUESTS ARRIVE AT THE YERKES Regional Primate Research Center in Georgia, where I work, they usually pay a visit to the chimpanzees. And often, when she sees them approaching the compound, an adult female chimpanzee named Georgia will hurry to the spigot to collect a mouthful of water. She'll then casually mingle with the rest of the colony behind the mesh fence, and not even the sharpest observer will notice anything unusual. If necessary, Georgia will wait minutes, with her lips closed, until the visitors come near. Then there will be shrieks, laughs, jumps-and sometimes falls-when she suddenly sprays them. I have known quite a few apes that are good at surprising people, naive and otherwise. Heini Hediger, the great Swiss zoo biologist, recounts how he-being prepared to meet the challenge and paying attention to the ape's every move-got drenched by an experienced chimpanzee. I once found myself in a similar situation with Georgia; she had taken a drink from the spigot and was sneaking up to me. I looked her straight in the eye and pointed my finger at her, warning in Dutch, "I have seen you!" She immediately stepped back, let some of the water dribble from her mouth, and swallowed the rest. I certainly do not wish to claim that she understands Dutch, but she must have sensed that I knew what she was up to, and that I was not going to be an easy target. Now, no doubt even a casual reader will have noticed that in describing Georgia's actions, I've implied human qualities...
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