Ape Support 0s
- Tera Swinsky, Chief Scientist for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, answers questions about apes from the internet.
Chest Beat 11s
- Gorillas pound their chests to show off their size and strength.
- Males have air sacks under their chests that amplify the sound of their chest beats.
- The lower the frequency of a chest beat, the larger the male gorilla.
- Chest beats can be heard up to a kilometer away.
- Females use chest beats to assess potential mates.
Bonobos 1m11s
- Bonobos settle social conflicts through sex.
- Male-male, male-female, and female-female sex are all common forms of conflict resolution.
- Bonobos may share food after having sex.
Primates 1m43s
- Primates are an order of mammals that appeared on Earth about 60 million years ago.
- Primates are characterized by high levels of social complexity, relatively large brains, and forward-facing eyes.
- There are three main categories of primates: prosimians, monkeys, and apes.
- Prosimians include bush babies, tarsiers, lorises, and lemurs.
- Monkeys include new world monkeys (found in Central and South America) and old world monkeys (found in Asia and Africa).
- Apes include gibbons, siamangs, orangutans, bonobos, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.
Communication 2m38s
- Apes communicate through vocalizations, gestures, and facial expressions.
- One common vocalization is the pig grunt, which is a mild warning to leave the gorilla alone.
- Another vocalization is the belch vocalization, which is used to let others know the gorilla's location.
- Gorillas also use the belch vocalization when approaching humans to indicate that they are not a threat.
Planet of the Apes 3m25s
- The new Planet of the Apes movies are accurate in their portrayal of Caesar's leadership and dominance, which is typical of chimpanzees.
- The movies are inaccurate in their portrayal of bonobos as aggressive and evil. Bonobos are actually one of the most peaceful of the great apes.
- The apes in the movies were genetically modified, so they do not necessarily represent how apes in the wild behave.
Smiling 4m17s
- Non-human primates' smiles are often signs of submission, not aggression.
- Teeth are often used in displays of aggression, combined with other facial expressions.
Two Foreheads 5m19s
- Male gorillas have a heavy brow ridge and a sagittal crest, which gives them amazing jaw strength for fighting and attracting females.
Attacks 6m2s
- Gorillas have a healthy fear of humans and would likely avoid confrontation.
- Chimpanzees are more likely to attack humans, especially if they feel threatened or their territory is invaded.
Chimpanzee Wars 6m57s
- Chimpanzees live in complex societies and are very territorial.
- Chimpanzee males patrol their territories and may kill individuals from neighboring communities.
- Sometimes, when a community splits, they may try to eliminate members from their former community.
King Kong 7m34s
- Andy Serkis' motion capture performance as Kong is considered one of the most accurate and soulful depictions of the character.
- Serkis visited Rwanda to learn about gorilla behavior and observed two gorilla brothers playing and laughing, which he incorporated into Kong's character.
New World vs Old World 8m19s
- New World monkeys live in Central and South America.
- Old World monkeys live in Asia and Africa.
- Japanese Macaques live in the mountains and enjoy hot pools.
- Bonobos are found only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Gorillas live in Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Cameroon, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo.
- Chimpanzees have the largest distribution of any African great ape, found from Tanzania to Senegal.
- Humans are found on every continent.
Orangutans 9m46s
- Male orangutans have cheek pads or flanges on their faces, which are secondary sexual characteristics.
- Cheek pads may help broadcast messages and attract females.
- Some male orangutans can choose not to develop these characteristics and stay in a form that looks more like a female.
- Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending lots of time in trees.
- Their long arms and large hands with thumbs placed far back help them grab onto tree branches.
Monogamy 11m3s
- Some primates in Central and South America, like marmosets and tamarinds, are often monogamous.
- Most primates are not monogamous.
- Polygyny is a reproductive strategy where one male mates with multiple females, commonly seen in Silverback gorillas.
- Promiscuous mating is where both males and females mate with multiple members of the opposite sex, seen in chimpanzees and baboons.
- Mating with multiple males confuses paternity, ensuring all males help protect the offspring.
Gibbons 11m49s
- Gibbons are one of the few monogamous primate species.
- Male and female gibbons spend long periods living together.
- They perform a duet, a beautiful sound made by both partners singing together, which can be heard over long distances in the forest.
Ripped Gorillas 12m22s
- Gorillas are the largest primates, with males weighing around 400 lbs and having 100% muscle mass.
- Despite only eating plants, gorillas have an extra advantage in their digestive system.
- Their larger intestines and hind gut fermentation help them break down fibrous plant material and extract more nutrients.
- Gorillas are roughly 10 times stronger than humans.
Social Hierarchies 13m27s
- Primate social groups usually have hierarchies, with larger males often becoming dominant.
- Dominant males use secondary sexual characteristics like canine teeth and size to fight for dominance.
- Dominance provides opportunities for breeding.
- In gorillas, the Silverback is the dominant male responsible for protection and decision-making.
- Some primate groups, like bonobos and baboons, have female dominance.
- Baboon females stay in their birth group and organize in matrilines, with dominant mothers providing support to their offspring.
Primate Culture 14m25s
- Primates do indeed have culture, defined as behaviors or traits passed down through learning rather than genetics.
- Leaf clipping in chimpanzees varies in meaning between populations, serving as an invitation to play or for sex.
- Grooming behavior in chimpanzees involves a unique arm-raising and clasping motion specific to a particular population.
Slow Loris 15m14s
- Slow lorises are nocturnal primates found in Asia, characterized by their large eyes adapted for low-light conditions.
Farts 15m35s
- Gorillas produce a lot of gas due to their diet of 60 pounds of vegetation daily.
- Despite the frequent farting, gorillas generally ignore it as a normal part of their daily routine.
Prehensile Tail 15m56s
- Prehensile tail is an adaptation that acts as an appendage, allowing primates to hold onto branches and move.
- Found only in New World monkeys like howler monkeys and spider monkeys.
- Apes do not have prehensile tails, they have a balanced upright center of gravity and walk upright.
Numerical Order 16m37s
- Chimpanzees have been studied for their understanding of numerical order.
- They can put numbers presented on a screen in order from 1 to 18 or 20.
- It's unclear if they understand the concept of numerical order or just learn the sequence.
- Chimps can choose between numbers to get treats, showing an understanding of which number will give them the most rewards.
Spear Hunting 17m37s
- A viral video showed an orangutan using a stick as a tool to manipulate its environment, possibly imitating fishermen.
- Orangutans have been observed copying specific behaviors from humans, such as cleaning routines and wearing hats.
- Tool use is not new to primates and has been observed in chimpanzees, elephants, dolphins, and certain birds.
Life Span 18m58s
- Great apes generally live to be in their 30s or 40s, with gorillas having the longest lifespan among them.
- Great apes have shorter lifespans in the wild compared to captivity.
Sadness 19m14s
- Gorillas display sadness when they lose a family member.
- They make hooting vocalizations to find other group members.
- Gorillas show empathy by consoling and hugging each other, especially the young.
- Gorillas go through a mourning period when a member dies, staying with the body and grooming it.
Endangered Species 19m52s
- Great apes are endangered, with four out of six critically endangered.
- 2/3 of the 500 primate species are endangered.
- Chimpanzees and gorillas have populations of a few hundred thousand.
- Mountain gorillas have only a thousand left.
- Sumatran orangutans have 13,000 left.
- Bonobos have an estimated population of 15,000 to 20,000.
- Nigerian-Cameroon chimpanzees have less than 10,000 left.
- Deforestation, climate change, and hunting are causing ape populations to decline.
- Half of the remaining apes could be lost in the next 20 years.
Dian Fossey 20m49s
- Dian Fossey founded the organization the speaker works for.
- Fossey went to Rwanda in 1967 to study mountain gorillas.
- She lacked a scientific background but had a love for animals.
- Fossey gained acceptance into gorilla society and shared their story.
- She changed the perception of gorillas from ferocious beasts to gentle giants.
- Fossey identified gorillas by their individual nose prints.
- She studied gorillas like Shaza, who was born in 1982.
- Fossey started active conservation efforts to protect gorillas.
- She removed snares to prevent gorillas and other wildlife from being caught.
- Fossey's work helped prevent the extinction of mountain gorillas.
- Mountain gorillas are the only great ape increasing in number.
