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Similarities and differences of primates and humans
Similarities and differences between primates and humans
Similarities and differences between primates and humans
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I went to the Oklahoma City Zoon and I became interested in the gorilla’s exhibit because of the different facts they had all over the room. Gorillas are similar to human in many ways. Although many people hate to think of it that way, it really is true. The zoo did a great job at informing the visitors about the gorillas within the exhibit and also the different characteristics all of them share in general. This exhibit provided probably the most information out of any other exhibit. I thought I would share what I learned and the notes I took from my visit to the zoo. Gorillas are enormously powerful animals. Their arm muscles are stronger than the legs of a professional weight lifter. One silverback could easily win a tug-of-war against
To start, research shows that there are a striking number of similarities between humans and chimpanzees in context to their social behavior.
Chimpanzees are a lot like humans in their behaviours. They are extremely smart since they are able to make and use tools and weapons. The female mothers are very affectionate and protective over the young and the rest of their family. The young chimps are also very dependant on their mother for necessities such as food, shelter and warmth.
This article, titled Common Ground, written by Barbara Smuts, points out the main differences between humans and apes, such as our upright stance, large brains, and capacity for spoken language and abstract reasoning. However, the main point of this article is to emphasize the many similarities that apes share with us. Smuts goes into great detail about how human social and emotional tendencies are very reflective in the family of apes.
Inside the chimp habitat, I noticed a sign which read: Look here for a “zoo” born! When I saw it, I recalled that earlier during the day, a senior docent named Rhonda who worked with the gorillas had told me that there was recently a newborn chimp. She said to look very closely to find the baby because the mother was extremely protective of it. She had also mentioned that the newborn’s furless skin would be very pink. At first, I looked very keenly for the small new chimp who had just been born this year, but I couldn’t find it. I finally spotted the baby after I moved to a different position to view the chimps from the open air viewing area. The infant was just as Rhonda had described it: nestled in its mother’s arms as she shielde...
A Primate’s Memoir, written by Robert Sapolsky, documents the author’s time in Kenya while he studied the various behaviors of a troop of baboons. One of the key aspects of the book was the social rank that developed within the troop. Female baboons have a social hierarchy that is fairly cut and dry. The eldest baboons in the troop are considered the higher-ranking females, and as the baboons get younger, so to follows the string of dominance. The ranking for males was essentially from the strongest baboons to the weakest baboons. The baboon at the top of the social hierarchy was considered the alpha male. This social rank has huge implications for the troop in regards to which baboons mated with each other. If another baboon wanted to become the alpha male, then he would have to challenge the current alpha male to a fight, and win. The baboon’s distinct personality mixed with their instincts are the primary factors for where one lands on the social hierarchy. Another key aspect of the book was the strategies that took place when the baboons wanted to mate with another baboon. Similar to humans, the baboon males tried to impress the female baboons in a way that would make them want to mate. The rank of the male is considered to be one of the greatest factors contributing to what mate they end up with, because there is nothing more impressive than becoming a high-ranking baboon. Also, there were instances of lower-ranking baboons strategizing and forming teams with other baboons to become a higher ranking baboon for the mating possibilities. The baboons in the group are considered a patch-work of different troops, as it is common for one baboon to move to different groups frequently.
The physical characteristics of a gorilla are, the male may be from a height of 5.5 ft and a weight of about 400 lbs. The female can be as tall as 5 ft. and weight almost about half the weight of the male. Their skull is pretty much similar to ours, but their bones are thicker. The gorillas spin...
...t only is a gorilla completely different from us, but it is also one of the smartest species. By hearing a different point of view of our society, it opens up people’s minds. Everything changes when an individual not living in our society tells us that we are wrong.
Thesis Statement: Despite the rampant protests of animal welfare organizations on encaging primates in zoos since primates typically show abnormal behavior, zoos in the National Capital Region claim that human interaction and enrichment programs help alleviate the stress and trauma primates experience.
For the purpose of this paper I visited the Los Angeles Zoo, on October 23, 2015. Luckily I was able to visit all of the animals in the short amount of time I had. I primarily stayed at the Gorilla and Chimp exhibit to understand their behaviors and how they act like us.
Muther, Elizabeth. "Bambara's Feisty Girls: Resistance Narratives in "Gorilla, My Love"." African American Review 36.3 (2002):447-459. Web.
... the gorillas are taken away from their family and are living in captivity. It is still important to study primates in-depth, and a solution to the ethical issues may be to breed primates within the conservatory.
Chimpanzees are part of the non-human primate group. Though we share a common ancestor, evolution has pushed us in different directions. However this common ancestor causes humans to be curious about these creatures. As discussed in Jane Goodall’s video Among the Wild Chimpanzees we were once considered to be human because of our use of tools but once we observed these non-human primates using tools, this perception was changed forever. The question now at hand is if having the chimpanzees that we study in captivity makes a difference between studying wild chimps. These interesting creatures can be found naturally in the rainforests of Africa.
All in all, learning about primates then getting to observe them is very interesting. I got to match the primate’s behaviors written in a book with how they act in person, and see for myself if it was what I expected. Observing them is far more fun than just reading about them, for example while I was sitting with the orangutans there was not a minute that went by where I wasn't smiling or laughing at what each individual ape was doing. Actually seeing certain primates interact with each other whether it be grooming, hugging,or playing, put into perspective just how much they act like humans. By observing and doing research, this will better our understanding between the differences and similarities of non-human primates and ourselves as humans.
According to National Geographic, scientists have sequenced the genome factor of the chimpanzee and found that humans are 98.5% similar to the ape species. The chimpanzee is our closest relative in the animal kingdom; however, some people are not aware of our resembling traits with chimpanzees. Jane Goodall’s, In the Shadow of Man, describes some similar traits humans and chimpanzees have such as their facial expressions and emotions, use of tools, and diet.
As I walk into the museum onto the first level, there are many different halls surrounding. To my left there is the African mammal exhibit. There are so many different creatures displayed, ranging from desert to rainforest. Some of the animals that are displayed are the Arabian Oryx, Savanna Elephant, Spotted Hyena, Hippopotamus and Okapi. When you browse there exhibits you are able to study and learn detail information. I learned that due to human encroachm...