ALL ABOUT PRIMATES! Gorilla World and Jungle Trails

ALL ABOUT PRIMATES! Gorilla World and Jungle Trails

PRIMATE EVOLUTION The ancestors of primates show up in the fossil record around 85 to 65 million years ago. The first true primates fossil was discovered in China and dates back 55 million years! The idea of the missing link is very misleading. Evolution is not a linear chain, but more like a complicated tree with many branches.

THE MODERN PRIMATE Primates are a taxonomical Order of related species that fall under the Class Mammalia Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates From here primates tend to fall into 3 major categories

THE THREE PRIMATE CATEGORIES Prosimians Monkeys Apes

PROSIMIANS Prosimians represent the more primitive of primates General Characteristics: Small Size Nocturnal Relatively Solitary Grooming Claws and Tooth Combs Well-developed sense of smell Vertical Clingers and Leapers This group includes all lemurs, galagos, lorises, and tarsiers

MONKEYS Monkeys are the most geographically diverse category of primates, spanning throughout South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and even one location in Europe General Characteristics Long Tails Diurnal (one exception) Increased sense of sight More complex social structures Increased Intelligence Quadrupedal Monkeys are classified as either New World or Old World

NEW WORLD VS. OLD WORLD MONKEYS New World Monkeys span throughout Central and South America. Characteristics: Round, flat nostrils. Smaller in size. Exclusively arboreal. Some have prehensile tails. Old World Monkeys span throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. Characteristics: Narrow, downward nostrils. Larger in size. Some terrestrial. Sitting pads, Some have cheek pouches.

APES Apes are often known as the most advanced group of primates General Characteristics No Tail Large in size Broad Chests Move through brachiation High intelligence Dependence on learning and tool use This group includes gibbons, siamangs, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans

While a lot of diversity exists among the living primates, there are some very unique characteristics that are shared by almost all of the primate species WHAT CONNECTS ALL PRIMATES? Large Brain Size Prehensile Hands and Opposable Thumbs Stereoscopic/binocular vision Fingernails Long Life History Complex Social Structures Let s look at these in more depth!

LARGE BRAIN SIZE Compared to other mammals, most primates have a large brain relative to their body size OPPOSABLE THUMBS Opposable thumbs are one of the most defining features of primates. Thumbs help them to manipulate small and complex objects

BINOCULAR VISION Most primates have more forward-facing eyes, this allow for increased depth perception. That s important when you live high up in the canopies! FINGERNAILS Most primates have nails on their fingers and toes as opposed to claws. These nails help to protect the digits, and allow for a heightened sense of touch. Vs.

LONG LIFE HISTORY Given their size, primates have an extended life history compared to other mammals. They grow slowly, have long dependence on their parents, mature later, and live longer life spans. Newborn Newborn 2 years

COMPLEX SOCIAL STRUCTURES Most primates live in large social groups. Living in groups with other individuals facilitates the formation of close bonds and friendships. These bonds help to protect primates from danger. Group living can also bring about competition and conflict, complex hierarchies are often established to mediate this tension.

JUNGLE TRAILS!

ORANGUTAN As of 2017, there are three recognized species of orangutans Tapanuli: Pongo tapanuliensis Bornean: Pongo pygmaeus Sumatran: Pongo abelii Both the Bornean and Sumatran species can be found in zoos, at the Cincinnati Zoo we house two Sumatran Orangutans

ORANGUTAN RANGE All orangutans species are found throughout two islands in Indonesia, Borneo and Sumatra Sumatran: rainforest of Northern Sumatra Bornean: lowland rainforests, swamp and mountain forests of Borneo Tapanuli: isolated forest of Northern Sumatra

ORANGUTAN DIET Orangutans are primarily fruit eaters, making them an important seed dispersers in their habitats. When fruit is scarce, orangutans will also consume flowers, insects, bark, leaves, eggs, and occasionally small mammals Orangutans are especially adapted to store fat to help them survive the seasonal fluctuation of fruit availability

ORANGUTAN SOCIAL STRUCTURE Unique amongst the great apes, orangutans are primarily solitary. The basic social unit consist of an adult female and their dependent offspring. Males hold large territories that overlap multiple females Orangutans, while solitary, are still social. Mothers are known to come together in times when fruit is plenty. They will maintain social relationships over long periods of time Males have two mature morphs: Flanged Un-flanged

ORANGUTAN BEHAVIOR Orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal in the world, they practice quadrumanous locomotion and use their large weight to sway the trees. After chimpanzees, orangutans have the most diverse tool culture of all nonhuman primates. Much of what we know about orangutans comes from the research of Birute Galdikas. Today, this research continues at Camp Leakey in Borneo!

ORANGUTAN CONSERVATION Currently, orangutans are considered to be Critically Endangered. It is estimated that around 120,000 individuals exist in the wild. The Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered great ape, with a population of only 800. Deforestation rates in Borneo and Sumatra are some of the worst on the entire planet. Much of this is due to the creation of palm oil plantations. Sustainable palm oil production helps to conserve orangutan habitat. Today, around 20% of all palm oil production is certified sustainable by the RSPO.

ORANGUTANS IN ZOOS Throughout North America, 55 AZA institutions house orangutans, representing 216 individuals. All of these individuals are managed through a SSP. Henry Alex

LION TAMARINS Tamarins are a family of small monkeys found throughout the rainforests of South America. The lion tamarins make up four of these species Golden-headed Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus chrysomelas Golden Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus rosalia Black Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus chrysopygus Black-faced Lion Tamarin Leontopithecus caissara At the Cincinnati Zoo, we have two Golden-headed Lion tamarins

LION TAMARIN RANGE All lion tamarin species are found throughout the South- Eastern coastal regions of Brazil Golden-headed: forests of the Bahia state Golden: lowland coastal regions of Rio de Janeiro Black: forest patches of Sao Paulo Black-faced: costal regions of Paraná

LION TAMARIN DIET Tamarins eat a wide variety of foods such as fruits, flowers, nectar, tree sap (exudate), insects, and small vertebrates. Modified claws, instead of nails, help tamarins to cling vertically to the sides of trees. Lion tamarins have elongated hands and feet that are partially webbed which allow them to catch prey from confined areas.

LION TAMARIN SOCIAL STRUCTURE Lion tamarins live in small family groups of up to 8 individuals. Groups consist of one breeding female and multiple males who will help care for the offspring. Females almost exclusively give birth to twins. Tamarin families share the responsibility of raising the young, however, the adult males will usually provide most of the care.

LION TAMARIN BEHAVIOR Strictly arboreal, lion tamarins rarely come down to the ground and spend most of their time in the forest canopy. Lion tamarins are highly territorial, of both their mates and their home ranges. Tamarin groups defend territories the size of 100 to 250 acres. They use scent marking to communicate this ownership.

LION TAMARIN CONSERVATION All four species of lion tamarin are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered. This is mostly due to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and the pet trade. In the 1970 s there were as few as 200 Golden Lion Tamarins left. Due to the hard work of AZA institutions, their international partners, and captive breeding program, it is estimated that there are 1500 living in the wild.

LION TAMARINS IN ZOOS Most of the focus in zoos center around the conservation of Golden Lion Tamarins, this has been very successful. However, there are breeding programs for two of the other species. Worldwide, there are 150 zoos who participate specifically in Golden Lion Tamarin breeding programs. In 2003, the Golden Lion Tamarins were downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Lucio and Uknown Female

BONOBO A close cousin to the chimpanzee, the bonobo was once known as the pygmy or dwarf chimp, but is now recognized as its own species. Chimpanzee Bonobo Chimpanzee: Pan troglodytes Bonobo: Pan paniscus Bonobos differ from chimps both physically and behaviorally.

BONOBO RANGE Bonobos are only found in the forests south of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is no overlap with the chimpanzee s range.

BONOBO DIET In the wild bonobos will feed on fruits, seeds, leaves, terrestrial vegetation, and have been seen eating insects and other vertebrates occasionally. Bonobo groups have been witnessed hunting various monkey species.

BONOBO SOCIAL STRUCTURE Bonobos live in large fission-fusion communities with multiple males and females. At times, the larger group will separate into smaller parties. Unique to other great ape species, bonobo females are the ones in charge! Known as the hippie ape, bonobo society tends to be peaceful, tension is alleviated through hugs, kisses, and sexual interactions.

BONOBO BEHAVIOR While incredibly intelligent, bonobos have rarely been seen using tools in their natural habitat. In human care, bonobos have shown the capacity to create and use tools. Bonobos tend to maintain their love of play, far into adulthood. Playing helps bonobos to build trust and form strong relationships amongst each other, as well as continuously adapt to their environment.

BONOBO CONSERVATION Bonobos are considered to be Endangered. Scientists estimate their wild populations to be 50,000 at most. That s not even enough to fill the Bengals stadium! There are many threats that bonobos face. Some of the biggest are habitat loss, poaching, and disease. Civil unrest in the DRC also threaten bonobos and their habitat. Lola Ya Bonobo is the world s only bonobo sanctuary. They rescue orphaned bonobos and work to rehabilitate those individuals for rerelease.

BONOBOS IN ZOOS Bonobos are not common in AZA zoos. Currently 7 AZA facilities house around 80 bonobos. Every individual is part of an SSP, working to ensure the long term survival of the species. Between the Cincinnati and Columbus Zoo, almost half of the entire U.S bonobo population can be found in Ohio. So far, the Cincinnati Zoo has had 10 bonobo births! Our Bonobos: Vernon, Zanga, Clara, Bolingo, Lana, Kesi, Vim, Vergil, Kimia, Zeke, and Kibibi

GORILLA WORLD

GORILLA There are two recognized species of gorilla, with a total of four sub-species Only one sub-species, the Western Lowland Gorilla, are housed in AZA facilities

GORILLA RANGE All gorilla sub-species are found dispersed throughout central Africa Cross River: lowland montane forests and rainforests of Cameroon and Nigeria Western Lowland: rainforest and swamp forests of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo Mountain: mountains forest of Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda Eastern Lowland: lowland forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

GORILLA DIET Gorillas are largely vegetarians, most of their diet consists of leaves, stems, shoots, bamboo, wild celery, fruit, and occasionally termite larvae The Western Lowland Gorilla tends to be more frugivorous than the other sub-species Recent research has shown that gorillas hum and sing while eating

GORILLA SOCIAL STRUCTURE Gorillas live in socially complex groups called troops. Each troop consists of anywhere from 3 to 30 individuals. Each member of a gorilla family plays a different role, just like human families! These roles include: Silverback(s) Adult Females Blackbacks Juveniles Infants

GORILLA SOCIAL STRUCTURE Gorillas live in polygynous groups, meaning there is one dominant male, the silver back, and multiple females and their offspring. Both male and female gorillas will leave their natal groups when they reach maturity. Males will seek females to create their own troops, while females seek a male who will protect them and their offspring. Male gorillas are typically double the size of females, this is due to the intense competition amongst the male gorillas to protect their females Males: ~400 lbs Females: ~200 lbs

GORILLA BEHAVIOR Despite their portrayal in popular media and their massive size, gorillas tend to be very peaceful animals. However, male gorillas are fiercely protective over their troop. While gorillas in human care have shown the ability to create and use tools, only a few gorillas has been witnessed using tools in the wild so far! Much of what we know about wild gorilla behavior comes from the research of Dian Fossey and the Mountain Gorillas she habituated. These troops are still researched today!

MBELI BAI

GORILLA CONSERVATION Currently, all gorilla species are considered to be Critically Endangered. This is largely due to habitat loss, disease, poaching, and civil unrest. It is estimated that as few as 105,000 exist in the wild. Ecotourism is one solution that has been implemented with the Mountain Gorillas. The money made goes right back into funding and maintaining the parks as well as the disadvantaged local communities.

GORILLAS IN ZOOS In North America, there are 51 AZA institutions that house gorillas. This represents around 350 individuals, who are all managed through a Species Survival Plan to ensure the population remains healthy and genetically diverse. Zoos provide the unique opportunity for guests to get Close Enough To Care with these animals and inspire conservation actions! Our Gorillas: Troop 1: Jomo, Samantha, Mlinzi, Gladys, Mondika, Anju, Elle Troop 2: Mshindi, Mara, Chewie, and Asha Cincinnati Zoo has had 50 gorilla births since the 1970 s

THAT S ALL FOLKS! Any questions?