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Primate Comparative Study
Scientific Name: Gorilla beringei beringei Common Name: Mountain gorilla Observation Time: 1hr 20min
| DESCRIBE THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIOURS | DRAW LABELLED DIAGRAMS OF THE FOLLOWING |
| LOCOMOTION The gorillas at the zoo are terrestrial quadrupedals as they move along the ground on their hands and feet. Specifically, the creatures are knucklewalkers, as they supported their weight using the knuckles on their arms. In some instances, the gorillas exhibit bipedalism, as they walk only with their legs when they are carrying something. | HANDS AND FEET |
| RESTING When resting, the gorillas lay on the ground with their legs and lean forwards slightly, crossing their arms in front of them to support their weight. | |
| SLEEPING None observed. | |
| FEEDING Mountain gorillas are herbivorous creatures as they feed only on fruits and plants. | BODY FORM MALE FEMALE |
| FORAGING Gorillas in the zoo feed by looking for leaves and fruit on the ground. The primates also grab leaves from branches that they then eat. This sometimes requires them to stand on their legs as they reach for the branches and leaves | |
| GROOMING Gorillas groom each other by combing with their teeth and fingers. This process improves the relations that they have with each other. | |
| USE OF HANDS AND FEET Gorillas use their hands and feet when moving.When feeding, they mainly use their hands to forage and sort their food. | |
| VOCALIZATION Males roar on certain occasions | FACIAL CHARACTERISTICS MALE FEMALE |
| FACIAL EXPRESSIONS Sometimes the gorillas make open mouth in a playful expression. | |
| INTERACTION WITH OTHERS Interactions take place when the gorillas are grooming each other. Mothers also interact with their young by feeding them. Other adults stay away from each other when they are feeding. |
Scientific Name: Papio Anubis Common Name: Olive Baboon Observation Time: 1hr 10Min
| DESCRIBE THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIOURS | DRAW LABELLED DIAGRAMS OF THE FOLLOWING |
| LOCOMOTION Olive baboons exhibit terrestrial quadrupedalism as they walk on the ground using their arms and legs. They walk on the fingers on their forearms, meaning that they are not knucklewalkers. | HANDS AND FEET |
| RESTING Males rest on trees with their backs in an upward position. | |
| SLEEPING Not observed | |
| FEEDING Olive baboons feed mostly feed on fruit and plants. They also feed on insects and small animals in some occasions, making them omnivorous. | BODY FORM MALE FEMALE |
| FORAGING The baboons acquire their food by looking for it on the ground and climbing trees where they pluck fruits and eat them. | |
| GROOMING They groom each other using their hands and teeth in a process that is slow and gentle. Grooming is important for the baboons because it increases their social cohesion. | |
| USE OF HANDS AND FEET Hands and feet are used to move, as the baboons are terrestrial quadrupedals. The baboons also use their hands when they are feeding as they forage and climb trees in search of the food.Hands are also used when grooming other baboons | |
| VOCALIZATION Makes deep loud calls when chasing younger baboons in what seems to be an aggressive gesture. | FACIAL CHARACTERISTICS MALE FEMALE |
| FACIAL EXPRESSIONS Opened mouth widely to reveal teeth and what appeared to be a threatening gesture | |
| INTERACTION WITH OTHERS Baboons mainly interact with each other when they are grooming. Sometimes the adults chase the younger baboons in what seems to be a playful activity. |
Scientific Name: Hylobates lar Common Name: Lar Gibbons Observation Time: 1hr
| DESCRIBE THE FOLLOWING BEHAVIOURS | DRAW LABELLED DIAGRAMS OF THE FOLLOWING |
| LOCOMOTION Gibbons are arboreal quadrupedals as they spend almost all of their time in trees moving with both their hands and feet. Their arms are very long to facilitate brachiation. | HANDS AND FEET |
| RESTING They rest by sitting in the trees and using their arms to support themselves, sometimes by grasping other branches. | |
| SLEEPING None observed. | |
| FEEDING Feed on leaves, fruit and insects meaning that they are omnivorous. | BODY FORM MALE FEMALE |
| FORAGING They acquire their food by looking for it in the branches of trees. Very little time is spent foraging on the ground. | |
| GROOMING Adults groom themselves sometimes after eating and focus on their lower body. | |
| USE OF HANDS AND FEET Hands and feet are used for movement through arboreal quadrupedalism and brachiation. Hands are used for support when they are restingHands are also used for grooming. Both hands and feet are used for foraging for the food they eat. They use their feet and one arm to support themselves while the free arm reaches for the food. | |
| VOCALIZATION None observed. | FACIAL CHARACTERISTICS MALE FEMALE |
| FACIAL EXPRESSIONS Sometimes exposes the teeth in their mouths in a threatening gesture that looks like yawning. | |
| INTERACTION WITH OTHERS Gibbons are social creatures and interact with each other through grooming. They are also known for forming bonds between pairs. |