Primate Essay at the Zoo
Clay Chastain
Dr. Hamilton, ANTH 2310-1
The Zoo Project: Nonhuman Primate Research
7 November 2006
Background Information In the world, a variety of primate species exist. Each species a unique function in the wild and differs, sometimes greatly, from another primate species. Two species that will be analyzed here are the Wolf’s Guenon (Cercopithecus wolfi), an Old World monkey, and the Black-handed Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), a New World monkey. While both are very similar at first glance, each monkey is surprisingly different. One key feature to note that causes such a wide variety in these species is their physical location. The separation of a common ancestor through continental drift caused the Wolf’s guenon to evolve in Africa, specifically throughout the Congo territories and Uganda (Wolf’s Monkey Website) (Figure 7). However, the black-handed spider monkey evolved independently throughout the tropical regions of Central and South America (Black-handed Spider Monkey Website) (Figure 3). Because of this separation in habitat, there are a range of differences between these monkeys; still, there is a degree of similarity on many aspects of these monkies. The Black-handed Spider monkeys are “fruigivorous, preferring a diet of 90% fruit and seeds”; however, they also eat some insects on occasion. They eat a great deal throughout the day, as well as eating while suspended in the air on a tree branch or manmade object. They do not, however, “pick fruit and carry it to another location to be eaten” later on. In zoos, they are fed from a mixture of vegetables, such as celery, and fruits, such as bananas (Spider Monkey Website). The Wolf’s guenon has a moderately similar diet which consists of “[f]ruit, leaves, flowers, nectar and insects”. In terms of reproduction, each Wolf’s guenon will have a gestation period of 160 to 170 days, give birth to generally one child, and each child will usually
Dr. Hamilton, ANTH 2310-1
The Zoo Project: Nonhuman Primate Research
7 November 2006
Background Information In the world, a variety of primate species exist. Each species a unique function in the wild and differs, sometimes greatly, from another primate species. Two species that will be analyzed here are the Wolf’s Guenon (Cercopithecus wolfi), an Old World monkey, and the Black-handed Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi), a New World monkey. While both are very similar at first glance, each monkey is surprisingly different. One key feature to note that causes such a wide variety in these species is their physical location. The separation of a common ancestor through continental drift caused the Wolf’s guenon to evolve in Africa, specifically throughout the Congo territories and Uganda (Wolf’s Monkey Website) (Figure 7). However, the black-handed spider monkey evolved independently throughout the tropical regions of Central and South America (Black-handed Spider Monkey Website) (Figure 3). Because of this separation in habitat, there are a range of differences between these monkeys; still, there is a degree of similarity on many aspects of these monkies. The Black-handed Spider monkeys are “fruigivorous, preferring a diet of 90% fruit and seeds”; however, they also eat some insects on occasion. They eat a great deal throughout the day, as well as eating while suspended in the air on a tree branch or manmade object. They do not, however, “pick fruit and carry it to another location to be eaten” later on. In zoos, they are fed from a mixture of vegetables, such as celery, and fruits, such as bananas (Spider Monkey Website). The Wolf’s guenon has a moderately similar diet which consists of “[f]ruit, leaves, flowers, nectar and insects”. In terms of reproduction, each Wolf’s guenon will have a gestation period of 160 to 170 days, give birth to generally one child, and each child will usually
References: Online image. Black Handed Spider Monkey. Central Florida Zoological Park. 28 Oct. 2006. . Online image. Central & South American Lodgings. Bestlodging.com. 28 Oct. 2006. . Online image. Facts About The Continent Africa. Abbott-Infotech. 28 Oct. 2006. . Online image. Spider Monkey. Honolulu Zoo. 28 Oct. 2006. . Online image. Wildfacts – Black-handed Spider Monkey. BBC – Science & Nature. 28 Oct. 2006. < http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/310.shtml>. Online image. Wolf’s Monkey. Congo Gorilla Forest – Bronx Zoo. 28 Oct. 2006. . “Wolf’s Monkey.” Congo Gorilla Forest – Bronx Zoo. 28 Oct. 2006. . “Black-handed Spider Monkey.” Central Florida Zoological Park. 28 Oct. 2006. . “Spider Monkey.” Honolulu Zoo. 28 Oct. 2006. . “Wildfacts – Black-handed Spider Monkey”. BBC – Science & Nature. 28 Oct. 2006. .