Thursday, September 9, 2010

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 9, Part 1


PPS PRIMATES in the SPOTLIGHT

Update on Macaco:

Macaco was born in the wild, but was captured as a baby, taken from his mother— a victim of the pet trade. He was locked up in a small wire cage and put up for sale in a marketplace. Macaco spent the next 9 years living as a pet in Los Angeles with a boy who gave him a home. Eventually, his owner realized that living as a pet was not the best life possible for a monkey. He said: “I decided to send him to Pacific Primate Sanctuary because I love him, and I know he needs to be at the Sanctuary where he can become a monkey.” He made the difficult decision to send Macaco to the Sanctuary because he cared deeply for him, and he knew that Macaco deserved the chance to live with others of his own kind.
Macaco Living in the Green World

Macaco had not seen another monkey since he was a tiny infant. When he arrived at PPS, the monkeys all greeted him, but he was unable to respond to them, and had difficulties moving on the branches in his new home. Over the past year, he has really enjoyed observing the other monkeys and has learned to communicate with them. We have heard him make a growing number of vocalizations. Macaco was recently moved into an outdoor enclosure in the new extension. He is now able to feel the wind in his fur and the sun on his back. Macaco has been contentedly running along the branches and hiding in the foliage of his new home.



"Those who wish to pet and baby wild animals, ‘love’ them. But those who respect their natures and wish to let them live normal lives, love them more." — Edwin Way Teale, "April 28," Circle of the Seasons (1953)


NOTABLE NEWS

This month we grieve the passing of our beloved Brenda,
a White-tufted Eared Marmoset.

Brenda arrived at Pacific Primate Sanctuary in 1995. She came from a research laboratory when she was just 3 months old along with her brother Brandon. They were sent to PPS at this very young age, without their parents. Normally a marmoset family cares for the offspring until they are sexually mature, from 18-20 months old. These two were like little orphans when they were given refuge here.

Brenda was 2 years old when Bruno arrived from another research facility and the two were paired. Bruno has difficulty sharing his enclosure and food with his new companion but, over time, he learned to be her partner. Brenda spent the next 13 years with Bruno, the two spent countless hours exploring their greenroom together, grooming each other, and soaking up the warmth of the sun. When she had to be taken to the infirmary, Bruno made distress calls.

Brenda passed away on the morning of August 17, 2010. She was with Bruno and had four caregivers close by. Over the last 15 years many caregivers have known and cared for Brenda. She had a gentle disposition, and an inquisitive nature. Her presence at Pacific Primate Sanctuary will be missed, but her spirit lives on in all of our hearts.


Eudora is a Cotton Top Tamarin, who was born at Pacific Primate Sanctuary. She is the daughter of Adam and Nadine. A little over a year ago, Eudora went to a facility on the Big Island to be a companion to a lone male Cotton Top Tamarin. Unfortunately, her mate recently passed away, and so Eudora has come back to PPS. She is now in the extension next to her sister Persephone. We are hoping to pair the two in the near future.




MEET MORE MONKEYS




Sylvan, a White-tufted Eared Marmoset enjoys the sunshine in his new outdoor enclosure!









The small body size and claw-like nails of Marmoset monkeys allow them to cling vertically to trees. Sebastian uses this vantage point to scan for insects.



This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 9, Part 2


WHAT’S HAPPENING at PPS?

We Need Your Help!

Please join with us in our life saving work. Raising funds has become critically important with the huge increase in expenditures! The new extension, monthly utility bills, and facility maintenance are putting extreme financial pressure on the Sanctuary’s limited resources. Every contribution counts and is greatly appreciated!

Rescue Fund

A Rescue Fund will allow us to provide refuge for at risk animals needing to be brought to the Sanctuary immediately. Laboratories and pet owners often have deadlines for placement and may not contribute to the costs involved in getting the animal to Pacific Primate Sanctuary or provide for their housing and care. Your contributions will allow us to reach out to these monkeys and bring them to this safe haven.

Please send your tax-deductible donations to:


Pacific Primate Sanctuary
500-A Haloa Road
Haiku, HI 96708


Or donate on our website, www.pacificprimate.org using PayPal.


PPS PEOPLE in the SPOTLIGHT


Meet Kaitlin:
Kaitlin began volunteering at Pacific Primate Sanctuary at the young age of 15 years old. Throughout her busy high school years, Kaitlin came to PPS every week to care for the monkeys. She was a dedicated volunteer and brightened the sanctuary with her positive demeanor and good nature. After Kaitlin went to college, she returned as a PPS volunteer over the holidays. Kaitlin will soon be graduating from UCSD, but plans to pursue further studies in Primatology.
Kaitlin at her High School Graduation with Sanctuary Volunteers

Kaitlin describes how life changing her volunteer experience at PPS has been:

…I have been thinking about the sanctuary a lot recently. Working alongside the monkeys and volunteers has really shaped me into the person I am today. The memories that I have of the sanctuary are the foundation of a driving force in me to dedicate my life to zoological conservation.
I will be finishing my fourth year of undergrad at the University of San Diego in the fall with a Biological Anthropology major and a Biology minor. This summer I am … getting ready to go on a trip to Indonesia at the beginning of August. In Indonesia, specifically Borneo, I will be volunteering with the Orangutan Foundation International, helping them improve various structures around the sanctuary grounds. I will have a chance to meet Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas and hopefully see how she manages to stay so motivated even when it seems like none of the world's conservation efforts are helping. After my adventure in Borneo, I'm hoping I'll have more resources to begin doing great things with my life! My long-term career goal is to get my Ph.D. in Primatology.


If I had not been given the opportunity to volunteer at the Pacific Primate Sanctuary at the young age of 15, I think I would be on a very different path. The most rewarding work I have ever done was those Sunday shifts with Skip and the interns, making sure all our non human primate friends had the most comfortable life we could give them. And for that I thank you Lucy, for believing in me and allowing me to grow into myself. I still read the talk story minutes every month and think about everyone often. I hope that I can one day return to Maui and the sanctuary!


PPS INTERNSHIP


Meet the newest PPS Intern: Hannah

Pacific Primate Sanctuary is pleased to announce the selection of our newest Resident Intern, Hannah. She will be joining us at the end of September. Hannah has recently graduated from UCSD with a degree Environmental Systems- Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution.

Hannah writes:
I am dedicated to wildlife and the conservation effort. I have a scientific background and the heart to learn more…The Sanctuary will be a great place for me to grow both in character and in knowledge. I would love to join PPS, since I have many common goals with PPS. I would like to work in the field of conservation. Since primates have been greatly impacted by human population growth, they are a great group of animals to help protect.


During the internship, I would like to learn more about the different species of primates and the important roles they play in their natural environment… I want to continue the efforts of many others to protect the natural resources that we have and provide a better place for future generations.

Welcome Hannah, we are excited to have you join us at the end of September!




This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Primate Update E-Newsletter, Vol. 2, Issue 9, Part 3


CONTINUING EDUCATION

Special Topic: Intern Lisa

Spider Monkeys, Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution of the Genus Ateles

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 1 discusses how Spider monkeys (genus Ateles) have been largely unstudied in the wild, despite the fact that this genus is often seen as the “typical monkey”.  Studying Spider Monkeys in the wild has been difficult due to the fact that they are fast moving, wide ranging, and live high in the canopy.  So often, when being studied, only a few community members can be studied at one time.  However, in the last decade the number of studies on spider monkeys has increased.  Areas of study include Spider Monkey ecology (the study of the relationships between the organism and their environment), behavior, physiology (the functions of an animal’s parts), morphology (the study of the form or shape of an organism) and evolution.

Part 1: Taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution

Chapter 2 Morphology and evolution of the spider monkey, genus Ateles

Spider monkeys are well suited for life in the upper canopy foraging for ripe fruit. This is seen throughout the spider monkeys skeletal morphology.  Spider monkeys’ bodies are also the closest to a gibbon that has evolved in the Order Primates.  Spider monkeys, like gibbons are brachiators, meaning they use their arms to move from tree branch to branch. 

The general morphology of spider monkeys has enabled them to successfully adapt to their environment.  The skeleton is designed to help suspend and hurl their body weight, which allows them to swing through the trees. Their energy rich diet had allowed them to have modestly enlarged brains.  The brain of the genus Ateles typically weighs over 100 grams.  The dentition (teeth) in the Ateles is functionally suited for a classically frugivore  (fruit eating) diet.  Incisor teeth (which are used to shear food sharply) are well developed. The canines (teeth used to firmly hold food in order to tear apart) differ in male and females. In males the upper canines are long, slender, and re-curved and in females they are slightly shorter, stouter, and less projecting.  Studies are being conducted to understand why there is sexual dimorphism in canine teeth.  Another interesting morphological features of the spider monkey is its missing thumb, or as it is also known the pollex.  The fingers on a spider monkey hand are long and re-curved, almost hook-like, and the limbs tend to be long and spindly.  The arms tend to be about 25% longer than the legs.  Another interesting feature of the spider monkey is its prehensile tail.  The tail is very strong and has a palm-like pad at the end.  The tail acts almost as an extra limb.  All these interesting morphological features have made the genus Ateles a very proficient animal for life high in the rainforest canopy.

-Campbell, Christina J. Spider Monkeys: The Biology, Behavior and Ecology of the Genus Ateles (Cambridge Studies in Biological and Evolutionary Anthropology). UK. Cambridge University Press. 2008

Special Topic: Intern Cheryl

The Complete Capuchin. The Biology of the Genus Cebus

Chapter 1:  Taxonomy, Distribution and Conversation: Where and What Are They and How Did They Get There?

In this chapter, the authors describe the appearance of the Genus Cebus as well as the areas occupied by Capuchins and distribution of the species. The chapter also discusses the main causes of decreasing wild populations of Capuchins in Central and South America.

TAXONOMY: Capuchins are robustly built due to their arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle and have arms and legs of nearly equal length. They also possess semi-prehensile tails that enable them to grasp with their tail like they do with their hands and feet. Although mainly arboreal, Capuchins are known to venture down to the ground to forage for food. They have large canine teeth and thickly enameled molars that are well adapted to crushing seeds and tearing open hard fruits.

Capuchins are known for the distinctive caps on their crowns that appear in various colors and shapes in different species. For example, White-fronted Capuchins (Cebus albifrons) have a brown cap, whereas the White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus) typically has a black cap. The White-faced Capuchin is the only species with jet-black fur on their body, limbs and tail. White fur occurs around the black cap on the crown, as well as on the throat, shoulders, chest and upper arms. The facial skin is pink and the amount of white fur on the face tends to vary depending on sex, class and age.

Capuchins can find their closest phylogenetic affinities (evolutionary relations) in Squirrel monkeys. It has been suggested that Capuchins branched off from a common Cebid ancestor around 22-23 million years ago; compare that to marmosets and tamarins that are younger at 13-16 million years. More fossil samples are needed however to clarify the picture of Cebid evolution.

DISTRIBUTION:  Capuchins have one of the widest distributions of any New World primate genus. Most species are found throughout South America from extreme northwestern Ecuador to parts of Argentina and Paraguay. Many species of Cebus will inhabit similar areas in South America. The White-faced Capuchin has been noted mostly in Ecuador, western Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the Honduras and is the only species of Capuchin to occupy Central America starting in the Honduras, while still maintaining areas in South America along the Colombian Andes.

Capuchins tend to occupy humid and dry tropical forests, swamp forests and seasonally flooded forests as well as dry deciduous forests where rainfall is absent for 5-6 months a year. They are mostly seen in the middle layers of the forest, but use all levels from the canopy to the under storey and sometimes the ground to drink, forage and travel.
The numerous amounts of data collected from different habitat types suggests that they exhibit the ability to explore almost any type of Neotropical forest to the fullest extent.

CONSERVATION STATUS: It is well known that most species of Cebus are under threat from more than one source. Three main causes are listed here:
1) Many populations across central and South America are affected by humans altering the natural environment for economic development, in particular by the outright destruction of their forests. This is considered to be the most significant factor in the decline of wild populations of Capuchins. It is important to state that as tropical forests decline, so will the number of animals that depend on them.
2) Hunting is a highly significant stress on Capuchin populations. Monkeys are hunted for food as well as body parts (for ornamental purposes and medicinal). In South America as well as Africa, monkeys are often used for ‘bush meat’. Hunters would usually aim for the larger monkeys such as Spider monkeys, Woolley monkeys and Howler monkeys. Infant monkeys are usually raised as pets
3) Live capture for export and trade on the pet market, for biomedical research or for exhibition in zoos is also another big threat to Capuchin populations. Fortunately, this factor has been greatly reduced in recent years due to imposed legislations and introductions of animal welfare and changing missions in zoos. The want to protect and preserve has now overtaken the need to exhibit.

This chapter has educated the reader in identifying species of Cebus, identified where to find them and what in this world is threatening their existence. There is some argument when defining habitat usage for the genus, as many populations over large parts of South America have not been documented.

- Fragaszy, D.M., Visalberghi, E., Fedigan, L.M. (2004) The Complete Capuchin: The Biology of the Genus Cebus. UK. Cambridge University Press.


Special Topic: Intern Dana

Rylands Marmosets and Tamarins, Systematics, Behavior and Ecology

CHAPTER 8: Flexibility and Co-Operation as Unifying Themes in Saguinus Social Organization and Behavior

For most of the history of primatology, New World Monkeys have been considered poor candidates for behavioral research. It was believed that there was little to be gained from studying them, since they are farther removed from humans evolutionarily than Old World Monkeys and apes. The Callitrichidae have been the least studied, and it wasn’t until the late 1980’s when researchers began investigating the complexities of marmoset and tamarin mating systems. It was around the same time that the field of Primatology began investigating the issue of predation as an important pressure on primate social behavior. In this article, Caine discusses how the natural behavior of tamarins has been and continues to be shaped largely by predation.

The author argues that there are two fundamental principles in understanding tamarin social behavior. These are 1) The fundamental elements of tamarin social life are co-operation, tolerance, and adaptability, and 2) that predation is among the most important selection pressure influencing social behavior and group structure.
        
Until recently, monogamy was assumed to be the center of tamarin social organization. However, research has shown that they are more polyandrous (one female, multi-male) than originally assumed. In captivity, Cotton Top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus) pairs act aggressively to new conspecifics (other animals of the same species) during intruder studies; interestingly, it is only the males who act with aggression, and only to other males.
        
A trait that characterizes all Saguinus species to date is co-operation, especially regarding infant care. All adult members carry infants, usually from within a few hours or a few days of birth. The infants go back to their mothers mainly to nurse. Adults also have been seen sharing food with infants. When traveling and foraging, group members move in a cohesive manner and even produce monitoring calls as they move through the jungle. Aggression is rarely observed in free-ranging groups. In captivity, adults are far more likely to tolerate each other when feeding; food calls are given when even a small amount of desirable food is found.
        
Tamarins are also very co-operative with respect to anti-predator behavior. Predators include birds, snakes, tayras (large weasels), and ocelots. Avoidance, alarm calling, and sometimes mobbing are their primary tactics. To avoid predators at night, tamarins retire before dusk, have increased vigilance, and carefully select sleeping sights. Caine argues that it is the tamarins’ vigilance for predators, rather than their response to them, that promotes cooperative social behavior. Individuals can spend more time eating and less time looking around when responsibility for vigilance is shared. In conclusion, predation pressures seem to play the most critical role in determining tamarin group size and social interactions.

-Rylands, A.B. Marmosets and Tamarins. Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1993.




We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Pacific Primate Sanctuary’s E-Newsletter.  Thank you for your support of our life saving work. Because of compassionate people, the Sanctuary can continue to provide a place of peace and happiness for 74 primates saved from research laboratories, animal dealers, and smugglers.  Here they can heal, form families, and live free from exploitation.


“We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are.” — J.K. Rowling, author (b. 1965)

This Blog and its content is copyright of Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc.—
© Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Inc., 2009. All rights reserved.
Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:
you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material
You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.