1
|
Pashchevskaya S, Fruth B, Hohmann G. Water scooping: tool use by a wild bonobo (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale, a case report. Primates 2024; 65:145-150. [PMID: 38488904 PMCID: PMC11018684 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-024-01121-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Tool use diversity is often considered to differentiate our two closest living relatives: the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (P. paniscus). Chimpanzees appear to have the largest repertoire of tools amongst nonhuman primates, and in this species, many forms of tool use enhance food and water acquisition. In captivity, bonobos seem as adept as chimpanzees in tool use complexity, including in the foraging context. However, in the wild, bonobos have only been observed engaging in habitual tool use in the contexts of comfort, play, self-directed behaviour and communication, whilst no tool-assisted food acquisition has been reported. Whereas captive bonobos use tools for drinking, so far, the only report from the wild populations comes down to four observations of moss sponges used at Lomako. Here, we present the first report of tool use in the form of water scooping by a wild bonobo at LuiKotale. An adult female was observed and videotaped whilst using an emptied Cola chlamydantha pod to scoop and drink water from a stream. We discuss the conditions for such observations and the importance of looking out for rare behaviours and attempt to put the observation into the context of the opportunity versus necessity hypotheses. By adding novel information on tool use, our report contributes to the ongoing efforts to differentiate population-specific traits in the behavioural ecology of the bonobo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonya Pashchevskaya
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Constance, DE, Germany.
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Barbara Fruth
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Constance, DE, Germany
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Smith TM, Arora M, Austin C, Nunes Ávila J, Duval M, Lim TT, Piper PJ, Vaiglova P, de Vos J, Williams IS, Zhao JX, Green DR. Oxygen isotopes in orangutan teeth reveal recent and ancient climate variation. eLife 2024; 12:RP90217. [PMID: 38457350 PMCID: PMC10942278 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies of climate variation commonly rely on chemical and isotopic changes recorded in sequentially produced growth layers, such as in corals, shells, and tree rings, as well as in accretionary deposits-ice and sediment cores, and speleothems. Oxygen isotopic compositions (δ18O) of tooth enamel are a direct method of reconstructing environmental variation experienced by an individual animal. Here, we utilize long-forming orangutan dentitions (Pongo spp.) to probe recent and ancient rainfall trends on a weekly basis over ~3-11 years per individual. We first demonstrate the lack of any consistent isotopic enrichment effect during exclusive nursing, supporting the use of primate first molar teeth as environmental proxies. Comparisons of δ18O values (n=2016) in twelve molars from six modern Bornean and Sumatran orangutans reveal a high degree of overlap, with more consistent annual and bimodal rainfall patterns in the Sumatran individuals. Comparisons with fossil orangutan δ18O values (n=955 measurements from six molars) reveal similarities between modern and late Pleistocene fossil Sumatran individuals, but differences between modern and late Pleistocene/early Holocene Bornean orangutans. These suggest drier and more open environments with reduced monsoon intensity during this earlier period in northern Borneo, consistent with other Niah Caves studies and long-term speleothem δ18O records in the broader region. This approach can be extended to test hypotheses about the paleoenvironments that early humans encountered in southeast Asia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M Smith
- Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
| | - Manish Arora
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Christine Austin
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkUnited States
| | - Janaína Nunes Ávila
- Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- School of the Environment, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Mathieu Duval
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH)BurgosSpain
- Palaeoscience Labs, Department of Archaeology and History, La Trobe UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Tze Tshen Lim
- Department of Geology, Universiti MalayaKuala LumpurMalaysia
| | - Philip J Piper
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
| | - Petra Vaiglova
- Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
| | - John de Vos
- Department of Geology, Naturalis Biodiversity CenterLeidenNetherlands
| | - Ian S Williams
- Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National UniversityCanberraAustralia
| | - Jian-xin Zhao
- Radiogenic Isotope Facility, School of the Environment, The University of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Daniel R Green
- Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, Griffith UniversitySouthportAustralia
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Orr CM, Atkinson R, Ernewein J, Tocheri MW. Carpal kinematics and morphological correlates of wrist ulnar deviation mobility in nonhuman anthropoid primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24728. [PMID: 36924247 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Primates employ wrist ulnar deviation during a variety of locomotor and manipulative behaviors. Extant hominoids share a derived condition in which the ulnar styloid process has limited articulation or is completely separated from the proximal carpals, which is often hypothesized to increase ulnar deviation range of motion. Acute angulation of the hamate's triquetral facet is also hypothesized to facilitate ulnar deviation mobility and mechanics. In this study, we test these longstanding ideas. METHODS Three-dimensional (3D) carpal kinematics were examined using a cadaveric sample of Pan troglodytes, Pongo sp., and five monkey species. Ulnar styloid projection and orientation of the hamate's triquetral facet were quantified using 3D models. RESULTS Although carpal rotation patterns in Pan and Pongo were uniquely similar in some respects, P. troglodytes exhibited overall kinematic similarity with large terrestrial cercopithecoids (Papio and Mandrillus). Pongo, Macaca, and Ateles had high wrist ulnar deviation ranges of motion, but Pongo did this via a unique mechanism. In Pongo, the triquetrum functions as a distal carpal rather than part of the proximal row. Ulnar styloid projection and wrist ulnar deviation range of motion were not correlated but ulnar deviation range of motion and the triquetrohamate facet orientation were correlated. CONCLUSIONS Increased ulnar deviation mobility is not the function of ulnar styloid withdrawal in hominoids. Instead, this feature probably reduces stress on the ulnar side wrist or is a byproduct of adaptations that increase supination. Orientation of the hamate's triquetral facet offers some potential to reconstruct ulnar deviation mobility in extinct primates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caley M Orr
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Richard Atkinson
- Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
| | - Jamie Ernewein
- Modern Human Anatomy Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Matthew W Tocheri
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
- Human Origins Program, Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kralick AE, Zemel BS, Nolan C, Lin P, Tocheri MW. Relative leg-to-arm skeletal strength proportions in orangutans by species and sex. J Hum Evol 2024; 188:103496. [PMID: 38412694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Among extant great apes, orangutans climb most frequently. However, Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) exhibit higher frequencies of terrestrial locomotion than do Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). Variation in long bone cross-sectional geometry is known to reflect differential loading of the limbs. Thus, Bornean orangutans should show greater relative leg-to-arm strength than their Sumatran counterparts. Using skeletal specimens from museum collections, we measured two cross-sectional geometric measures of bone strength: the polar section modulus (Zpol) and the ratio of maximum to minimum area moments of inertia (Imax/Imin), at the midshaft of long bones in Bornean (n = 19) and Sumatran adult orangutans (n = 12) using medical CT and peripheral quantitative CT scans, and compared results to published data of other great apes. Relative leg-to-arm strength was quantified using ratios of femur and tibia over humerus, radius, and ulna, respectively. Differences between orangutan species and between sexes in median ratios were assessed using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. The tibia of Bornean orangutans was stronger relative to the humerus and the ulna than in Sumatran orangutans (p = 0.008 and 0.025, respectively), consistent with behavioral studies that indicate higher frequencies of terrestrial locomotion in the former. In three Zpol ratios, adult female orangutans showed greater leg-to-arm bone strength compared to flanged males, which may relate to females using their legs more during arboreal locomotion than in adult flanged males. A greater amount of habitat discontinuity on Borneo compared to Sumatra has been posited as a possible explanation for observed interspecific differences in locomotor behaviors, but recent camera trap studies has called this into question. Alternatively, greater frequencies of terrestriality in Pongo pygmaeus may be due to the absence of tigers on Borneo. The results of this study are consistent with the latter explanation given that habitat continuity was greater a century ago when our study sample was collected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Kralick
- Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Harvard University, Cambridge, 02138, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
| | - Babette S Zemel
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Pediatrics, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Clara Nolan
- Fine Arts Department, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Computer and Information Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Phillip Lin
- Stockdale High School, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA
| | - Matthew W Tocheri
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7B 5E1, Canada; Human Origins Program, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 20013, USA; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, NSW, 2522, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
van Noordwijk MA, LaBarge LR, Kunz JA, Marzec AM, Spillmann B, Ackermann C, Rianti P, Vogel ER, Atmoko SSU, Kruetzen M, van Schaik CP. Reproductive success of Bornean orangutan males: scattered in time but clustered in space. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023; 77:134. [PMID: 38076722 PMCID: PMC10700224 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Abstract The social and mating systems of orangutans, one of our closest relatives, remain poorly understood. Orangutans (Pongo spp.) are highly sexually dimorphic and females are philopatric and maintain individual, but overlapping home ranges, whereas males disperse, are non-territorial and wide-ranging, and show bimaturism, with many years between reaching sexual maturity and attaining full secondary sexual characteristics (including cheek pads (flanges) and emitting long calls). We report on 21 assigned paternities, among 35 flanged and 15 unflanged, genotyped male Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii), studied from 2003 to 2018 in Tuanan (Central Kalimantan, Indonesia). All 10 infants born since mid-2003 with an already identified sire were sired by flanged males. All adult males ranged well beyond the study area (c. 1000 ha), and their dominance relations fluctuated even within short periods. However, 5 of the 10 identified sires had multiple offspring within the monitored area. Several sired over a period of c. 10 years, which overlapped with siring periods of other males. The long-calling behavior of sires indicated they were not consistently dominant over other males in the area around the time of known conceptions. Instead, when they were seen in the area, the known sires spent most of their time within the home ranges of the females whose offspring they sired. Overall, successful sires were older and more often resident than others. Significance statement It is difficult to assess reproductive success for individuals of long-lived species, especially for dispersing males, who cannot be monitored throughout their lives. Due to extremely long interbirth intervals, orangutans have highly male-skewed operational sex ratios and thus intensive male-male competition for every conception. Paternity analyses matched 21 immature Bornean orangutans with their most likely sire (only 10 of 50 genotyped males) in a natural population. Half of these identified sires had multiple offspring in the study area spread over periods of at least 10 years, despite frequently ranging outside this area. Dominance was a poor predictor of success, but, consistent with female mating tactics to reduce the risk of infanticide, known "sires" tended to have relatively high local presence, which seems to contribute to the males' siring success. The results highlight the importance of large protected areas to enable a natural pattern of dispersal and ranging. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-023-03407-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. van Noordwijk
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Laura R. LaBarge
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julia A. Kunz
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute des Sciences de l’Evolution Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Anna M. Marzec
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Brigitte Spillmann
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Ackermann
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Puji Rianti
- Division of Animal Biosystematics and Ecology, Department of Biology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
- Primate Research Center, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Erin R. Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Center for Human Evolution Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA
| | | | - Michael Kruetzen
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Carel P. van Schaik
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Romani T, Mundry R, Shaban GM, Konarzewski M, Namaganda M, Hobaiter C, Gruber T, Hicks TC. Decay rates of arboreal and terrestrial nests of Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, Uganda: Implications for population size estimates. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23536. [PMID: 37504505 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Chimpanzees were once thought to sleep primarily in the trees, but recent studies indicate that some populations also construct terrestrial night nests. This behavior has relevance not only to understanding the behavioral diversity of Pan troglodytes, but also to the conservation of the species, given that nest encounter rates are often used to estimate great ape population densities. A proper estimate of decay rates for ground nests is necessary for converting the encounter rate of nests to the density of weaned chimpanzees. Here we present the results of the first systematic comparative study between the decay rates of arboreal and terrestrial chimpanzee nests, from the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve in western Uganda. We followed the decay of 56 ground and 51 tree nests in eight nest groups between April 2020 and October 2021. For 15 of the ground and 19 of the tree nests, we collected detailed information on the condition of the nests every two weeks; we checked the remaining 73 nests only twice. On average, ground nests lasted 238 days versus 276 days for tree nests (p = 0.05). Of the 107 total nests surveyed, 51% of tree and 64% of ground nests had disappeared after six months. Based on our results, we propose a modification of the formula used to convert nest density into chimpanzee density. Our results highlight the importance of taking into account potential differences in decay rates between ground versus tree nests, which will likely influence our understanding of the distribution of ground nesting behavior in chimpanzee across tropical Africa, as well as our estimations of the densities of ground nesting populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toni Romani
- The Faculty of 'Artes Liberales', University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- CyberTracker Italia, Osoppo, Italy
| | - Roger Mundry
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department for Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Marek Konarzewski
- The Faculty of 'Artes Liberales', University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- The Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | - Mary Namaganda
- Department of Plant Science, Microbiology and Biotechnology, School of Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- Bugoma Primate Conservation Project, Hoima, Uganda
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - Thibaud Gruber
- Bugoma Primate Conservation Project, Hoima, Uganda
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences and Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sarringhaus L, Lewton KL, Iqbal S, Carlson KJ. Ape femoral-humeral rigidities and arboreal locomotion. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 179:624-639. [PMID: 36790629 PMCID: PMC9828227 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study investigates patterns of bone functional adaptations in extant apes through comparing hindlimb to forelimb bone rigidity ratios in groups with varying levels of arboreality. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using CT scans, bone rigidity (J) was calculated at three regions of interest (ROI) along femoral and humeral diaphyses in Homo, Pongo, Pan, and Gorilla with further comparisons made between species and subspecies divisions within Pan and Gorilla. RESULTS Consistent with previous work on extant hominoids, species exhibited differences in midshaft femoral to humeral (F/H) rigidity ratios. Results of the present study confirm that these midshaft differences extend to 35% and 65% diaphyseal ROIs. Modern humans, exhibiting larger ratios, and orangutans, exhibiting smaller ratios, bracketed the intermediate African apes in comparisons. Within some African apes, limb rigidity ratios varied significantly between taxonomic groups. Eastern gorillas exhibited the highest mean ratios and chimpanzees the lowest at all three ROIs. In posthoc comparisons, chimpanzees and bonobos did not differ in relative limb rigidity ratios at any of the three ROIs. However, western gorillas were more similar to bonobos than eastern gorillas at 50% and 35% ROIs, but not at the 65% ROI. CONCLUSION Species, and to a lesser extent subspecies, can be distinguished by F/H limb rigidity ratios according to broad positional behavior patterns at multiple regions of interest along the diaphyses. Similarity of bonobos and western gorillas is in line with behavioral data of bonobos being the most terrestrial of Pan species, and western gorillas the most arboreal of the Gorilla groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Sarringhaus
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA,Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA,Department of BiologyJames Madison UniversityHarrisonburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Kristi L. Lewton
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Safiyyah Iqbal
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Kristian J. Carlson
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Evolutionary Studies InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Factors influencing terrestriality in primates of the Americas and Madagascar. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121105119. [PMID: 36215474 PMCID: PMC9586308 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121105119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Among mammals, the order Primates is exceptional in having a high taxonomic richness in which the taxa are arboreal, semiterrestrial, or terrestrial. Although habitual terrestriality is pervasive among the apes and African and Asian monkeys (catarrhines), it is largely absent among monkeys of the Americas (platyrrhines), as well as galagos, lemurs, and lorises (strepsirrhines), which are mostly arboreal. Numerous ecological drivers and species-specific factors are suggested to set the conditions for an evolutionary shift from arboreality to terrestriality, and current environmental conditions may provide analogous scenarios to those transitional periods. Therefore, we investigated predominantly arboreal, diurnal primate genera from the Americas and Madagascar that lack fully terrestrial taxa, to determine whether ecological drivers (habitat canopy cover, predation risk, maximum temperature, precipitation, primate species richness, human population density, and distance to roads) or species-specific traits (body mass, group size, and degree of frugivory) associate with increased terrestriality. We collated 150,961 observation hours across 2,227 months from 47 species at 20 sites in Madagascar and 48 sites in the Americas. Multiple factors were associated with ground use in these otherwise arboreal species, including increased temperature, a decrease in canopy cover, a dietary shift away from frugivory, and larger group size. These factors mostly explain intraspecific differences in terrestriality. As humanity modifies habitats and causes climate change, our results suggest that species already inhabiting hot, sparsely canopied sites, and exhibiting more generalized diets, are more likely to shift toward greater ground use.
Collapse
|
9
|
Harel R, Alavi S, Ashbury AM, Aurisano J, Berger-Wolf T, Davis GH, Hirsch BT, Kalbitzer U, Kays R, Mclean K, Núñez CL, Vining A, Walton Z, Havmøller RW, Crofoot MC. Life in 2.5D: Animal Movement in the Trees. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.801850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex, interconnected, and non-contiguous nature of canopy environments present unique cognitive, locomotor, and sensory challenges to their animal inhabitants. Animal movement through forest canopies is constrained; unlike most aquatic or aerial habitats, the three-dimensional space of a forest canopy is not fully realized or available to the animals within it. Determining how the unique constraints of arboreal habitats shape the ecology and evolution of canopy-dwelling animals is key to fully understanding forest ecosystems. With emerging technologies, there is now the opportunity to quantify and map tree connectivity, and to embed the fine-scale horizontal and vertical position of moving animals into these networks of branching pathways. Integrating detailed multi-dimensional habitat structure and animal movement data will enable us to see the world from the perspective of an arboreal animal. This synthesis will shed light on fundamental aspects of arboreal animals’ cognition and ecology, including how they navigate landscapes of risk and reward and weigh energetic trade-offs, as well as how their environment shapes their spatial cognition and their social dynamics.
Collapse
|
10
|
Fröhlich M, Bartolotta N, Fryns C, Wagner C, Momon L, Jaffrezic M, Mitra Setia T, Schuppli C, van Noordwijk MA, van Schaik CP. Orangutans have larger gestural repertoires in captivity than in the wild-A case of weak innovation? iScience 2021; 24:103304. [PMID: 34820602 PMCID: PMC8601978 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether nonhuman species can change their communicative repertoire in response to socio-ecological environments has critical implications for communicative innovativeness prior to the emergence of human language, with its unparalleled productivity. Here, we use a comparative sample of wild and zoo-housed orangutans of two species (Pongo abelii, Pongo pygmaeus) to assess the effect of the wild-captive contrast on repertoires of gestures and facial expressions. We find that repertoires on both the individual and population levels are larger in captive than in wild settings, regardless of species, age class, or sampling effort. In the more sociable Sumatran species, dominant use of signals toward single outcomes was also higher in captive settings. We thus conclude that orangutans exposed to more sociable and terrestrial conditions evince behavioral plasticity, in that they produce additional innate or innovated signals that are highly functionally specific. These findings suggest a latent capacity for innovativeness in these apes' communicative repertoires.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlen Fröhlich
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Natasha Bartolotta
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Caroline Fryns
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Colin Wagner
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, University of Strasbourg, 67037 Strasbourg, France
| | - Laurene Momon
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, University of Strasbourg, 67037 Strasbourg, France
| | - Marvin Jaffrezic
- Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, University of Strasbourg, 67037 Strasbourg, France
| | - Tatang Mitra Setia
- Fakultas Biologi, Universitas Nasional, 12520 Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
| | - Caroline Schuppli
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Development and Evolution of Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Maria A. van Noordwijk
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socioecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Carel P. van Schaik
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socioecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Harrison T, Zhang Y, Yang L, Yuan Z. Evolutionary trend in dental size in fossil orangutans from the Pleistocene of Chongzuo, Guangxi, southern China. J Hum Evol 2021; 161:103090. [PMID: 34781087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
More than 800 isolated teeth of fossil Pongo have been recovered from cave sites in the vicinity of Chongzuo in Guangxi, southern China, ranging from the Early to Late Pleistocene (2.0-0.1 Ma). These collections provide a unique regional window into the evolutionary history of orangutans over a two-million-year period at the northernmost extent of their former geographic range. Here we investigate the nature and timing of the evolutionary change in the dental size of fossil orangutans from Chongzuo. Fossil tooth size (mesiodistal length∗buccolingual breadth) was compared against an extant Pongo pygmaeus standard (n = 106 individuals). During the course of the Pleistocene, orangutans from southern China exhibited a progressive reduction in overall dental size. Early Pleistocene Pongo has cheek teeth with occlusal areas that are 38.1% larger than those of extant P. pygmaeus. Those from the Middle and Late Pleistocene are 25.2% and 18.9% larger, respectively. Previously, the size difference in dentition between the Early to Middle Pleistocene and Middle to Late Pleistocene samples was used to differentiate time-successive species of Pongo, namely Pongo weidenreichi and Pongo devosi. However, with access to larger samples and better representation of populations through time, the evidence in support of this taxonomic arrangement requires reconsideration. Diminution of the teeth now appears to be a gradual evolutionary transformation rather than a punctuated event. Moreover, the morphological features that distinguish the Chongzuo fossil orangutans from extant Pongo spp. remain uniform throughout the Pleistocene. Retaining P. weidenreichi and P. devosi as anagenetic species remains an option, but, given the current evidence, we consider it preferable to assign all of the fossil orangutans from Chongzuo to P. weidenreichi. Beyond resolving questions of alpha taxonomy, the study of fossil orangutan dental size provides a basis for estimating body mass, which has implications for interpreting the paleobiology of Pleistocene Pongo in southern China.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Terry Harrison
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Yingqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, People's Republic of China; CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, 100044, People's Republic of China
| | - Liyun Yang
- Zhuang Ethnological Museum of Chongzuo, Chongzuo, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Zengjian Yuan
- Zhuang Ethnological Museum of Chongzuo, Chongzuo, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Harper CM, Ruff CB, Sylvester AD. Calcaneal shape variation in humans, nonhuman primates, and early hominins. J Hum Evol 2021; 159:103050. [PMID: 34438297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The foot has played a prominent role in evaluating early hominin locomotion. The calcaneus, in particular, plays an important role in weight-bearing. Although the calcanei of early hominins have been previously scrutinized, a three-dimensional analysis of the entire calcaneal shape has not been conducted. Here, we investigate the relationship between external calcaneal shape and locomotion in modern Homo sapiens (n = 130), Gorilla (n = 86), Pan (n = 112), Pongo (n = 31), Papio (n = 28), and hylobatids (Hylobates, Symphalangus; n = 32). We use these results to place the calcanei attributed to Australopithecus sediba, A. africanus, A. afarensis, H. naledi, and Homo habilis/Paranthropus boisei into a locomotor context. Calcanei were scanned using either surface scanning or micro-CT and their external shape analyzed using a three-dimensional geometric morphometric sliding semilandmark analysis. Blomberg's K statistic was used to estimate phylogenetic signal in the shape data. Shape variation was summarized using a principal components analysis. Procrustes distances between all taxa as well as distances between each fossil and the average of each taxon were calculated. Blomberg's K statistic was small (K = 0.1651), indicating weak phylogenetic effects, suggesting variation is driven by factors other than phylogeny (e.g., locomotion or body size). Modern humans have a large calcaneus relative to body size and display a uniquely convex cuboid facet, facilitating a rigid midfoot for bipedalism. More arboreal great apes display relatively deeper cuboid facet pivot regions for increased midfoot mobility. Australopithecus afarensis demonstrates the most human-like calcaneus, consistent with obligate bipedalism. Homo naledi is primarily modern human-like, but with some intermediate traits, suggesting a different form of bipedalism than modern humans. Australopithecus africanus, A. sediba, and H. habilis/P. boisei calcanei all possess unique combinations of human and nonhuman ape-like morphologies, suggesting a combination of bipedal and arboreal behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Harper
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, 1830 East Monument Street, Room 302, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, 401 S Broadway, Room 453, Camden, NJ 08103, United States.
| | - Christopher B Ruff
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, 1830 East Monument Street, Room 302, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Adam D Sylvester
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, 1830 East Monument Street, Room 302, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ehmann B, van Schaik CP, Ashbury AM, Mörchen J, Musdarlia H, Utami Atmoko S, van Noordwijk MA, Schuppli C. Immature wild orangutans acquire relevant ecological knowledge through sex-specific attentional biases during social learning. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001173. [PMID: 34010339 PMCID: PMC8133475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
As a part of growing up, immature orangutans must acquire vast repertoires of skills and knowledge, a process that takes several years of observational social learning and subsequent practice. Adult female and male orangutans show behavioral differences including sex-specific foraging patterns and male-biased dispersal. We investigated how these differing life trajectories affect social interest and emerging ecological knowledge in immatures. We analyzed 15 years of detailed observational data on social learning, associations, and diet repertoires of 50 immatures (16 females and 34 males), from 2 orangutan populations. Specific to the feeding context, we found sex differences in the development of social interest: Throughout the dependency period, immature females direct most of their social attention at their mothers, whereas immature males show an increasing attentional preference for individuals other than their mothers. When attending to non-mother individuals, males show a significant bias toward immigrant individuals and a trend for a bias toward adult males. In contrast, females preferentially attend to neighboring residents. Accordingly, by the end of the dependency period, immature females show a larger dietary overlap with their mothers than do immature males. These results suggest that immature orangutans show attentional biases through which they learn from individuals with the most relevant ecological knowledge. Diversifying their skills and knowledge likely helps males when they move to a new area. In sum, our findings underline the importance of fine-grained social inputs for the acquisition of ecological knowledge and skills in orangutans and likely in other apes as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Ehmann
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alison M. Ashbury
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julia Mörchen
- Behavioral Ecology Research Group, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Life Science, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology, Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Helvi Musdarlia
- Department of Biology, Graduate School, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Suci Utami Atmoko
- Faculty of Biology and Primate Research Center, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Caroline Schuppli
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Leipzig Research Center for Early Child Development, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Development and Evolution of Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Harper CM, Ruff CB, Sylvester AD. Scaling and relative size of the human, nonhuman ape, and baboon calcaneus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:100-122. [PMID: 33843151 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Among human and nonhuman apes, calcaneal morphology exhibits significant variation that has been related to locomotor behavior. Due to its role in weight-bearing, however, both body size and locomotion may impact calcaneal morphology. Determining how calcaneal morphologies vary as a function of body size is thus vital to understanding calcaneal functional adaptation. Here, we study calcaneus allometry and relative size in humans (n = 120) and nonhuman primates (n = 278), analyzing these relationships in light of known locomotor behaviors. Twelve linear measures and three articular facet surface areas were collected on calcaneus surface models. Body mass was estimated using femoral head superoinferior breadth. Relationships between calcaneal dimensions and estimated body mass were analyzed across the sample using phylogenetic least squares regression analyses (PGLS). Differences between humans and pooled nonhuman primates were tested using RMA ANCOVAs. Among (and within) genera residual differences from both PGLS regressions and isometry were analyzed using ANOVAs with post hoc multiple comparison tests. The relationships between all but two calcaneus dimensions and estimated body mass exhibit phylogenetic signal at the smallest taxonomic scale. This signal disappears when reanalyzed at the genus level. Calcaneal morphology varies relative to both body size and locomotor behavior. Humans have larger calcanei for estimated body mass relative to nonhuman primates as a potential adaptation for bipedalism. More terrestrial taxa exhibit longer calcaneal tubers for body mass, increasing the triceps surae lever arm. Among nonhuman great apes, more arboreal taxa have larger cuboid facet surface areas for body mass, increasing calcaneocuboid mobility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Harper
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Camden, New Jersey, USA
| | - Christopher B Ruff
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Adam D Sylvester
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pontzer H, Brown MH, Wood BM, Raichlen DA, Mabulla AZP, Harris JA, Dunsworth H, Hare B, Walker K, Luke A, Dugas LR, Schoeller D, Plange-Rhule J, Bovet P, Forrester TE, Thompson ME, Shumaker RW, Rothman JM, Vogel E, Sulistyo F, Alavi S, Prasetyo D, Urlacher SS, Ross SR. Evolution of water conservation in humans. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1804-1810.e5. [PMID: 33675699 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
To sustain life, humans and other terrestrial animals must maintain a tight balance of water gain and water loss each day.1-3 However, the evolution of human water balance physiology is poorly understood due to the absence of comparative measures from other hominoids. While humans drink daily to maintain water balance, rainforest-living great apes typically obtain adequate water from their food and can go days or weeks without drinking4-6. Here, we compare isotope-depletion measures of water turnover (L/d) in zoo- and rainforest-sanctuary-housed apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans) with 5 diverse human populations, including a hunter-gatherer community in a semi-arid savannah. Across the entire sample, water turnover was strongly related to total energy expenditure (TEE, kcal/d), physical activity, climate (ambient temperature and humidity), and fat free mass. In analyses controlling for those factors, water turnover was 30% to 50% lower in humans than in other apes despite humans' greater sweating capacity. Water turnover in zoo and sanctuary apes was similar to estimated turnover in wild populations, as was the ratio of water intake to dietary energy intake (∼2.8 mL/kcal). However, zoo and sanctuary apes ingested a greater ratio of water to dry matter of food, which might contribute to digestive problems in captivity. Compared to apes, humans appear to target a lower ratio of water/energy intake (∼1.5 mL/kcal). Water stress due to changes in climate, diet, and behavior apparently led to previously unknown water conservation adaptations in hominin physiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Mary H Brown
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| | - Brian M Wood
- Department of Anthropology, Univ. California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Plank Inst. Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - David A Raichlen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Univ. Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Audax Z P Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jacob A Harris
- Inst. Human Origins, School of Human Evolution & Social Change, Arizona State Univ, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Holly Dunsworth
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Brian Hare
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Kara Walker
- School of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Amy Luke
- Public Health Sciences, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Lara R Dugas
- Public Health Sciences, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Dale Schoeller
- Nutritional Sciences, Biotechnology Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | | | - Pascal Bovet
- Ministry of Health, Republic of Seychelles & Center of Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), Lausanne, Switzerland; Ministry of Health, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Terrence E Forrester
- UWI Solutions for Developing Countries, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica
| | | | - Robert W Shumaker
- Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA; Department of Anthropology and Center for Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA
| | - Jessica M Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10065, USA; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Erin Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Shauhin Alavi
- Department of Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Didik Prasetyo
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Biology Faculty, Universitas Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Samuel S Urlacher
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA; Child and Brain Development Program, CIFAR, Toronto, Canada
| | - Stephen R Ross
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo. Chicago, IL 60614, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Sunderland-Groves JL, Tandang MV, Patispathika FH, Marzec A, Knox A, Nurcahyo A, Husson SJ, Sihite J. Suspected Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) predation attempts on two reintroduced Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Primates 2020; 62:41-49. [PMID: 32623603 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00842-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In February 2017 and August 2018, respectively, two Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) reintroduced into the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest in Central Kalimantan were found in weakened physical condition and with deep puncture wounds. The first individual was a sub-adult male, and the second an adult female whose 6- to 8-week-old infant was missing. Both individuals were rescued and transported back to the field base camp for treatment. Experienced veterinarians treating the injuries reported that the type of wounds appeared consistent with those expected from an attack by a large felid. The Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is the largest felid known to inhabit Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, and we suspect that these cases were unsuccessful predatory attacks by this species. Given the severity of his condition when found, the male orangutan would probably have died without medical intervention; however, both orangutans fully recovered following intensive treatment and were successfully returned to the forest. Predation attempts on orangutans are infrequently reported, thus our observations add to the body of knowledge about possible predation by clouded leopards on reintroduced, rehabilitant orangutans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline L Sunderland-Groves
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.
- Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Maryos V Tandang
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Anna Marzec
- University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Knox
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Anton Nurcahyo
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Simon J Husson
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Jamartin Sihite
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Wich SA, Fredriksson G, Usher G, Kühl HS, Nowak MG. The Tapanuli orangutan: Status, threats, and steps for improved conservation. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Serge A. Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of Amsterdam Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Gabriella Fredriksson
- Conservation DivisionThe PanEco Foundation ‐ Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme Berg am Irchel Switzerland
| | - Graham Usher
- Conservation DivisionThe PanEco Foundation ‐ Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme Berg am Irchel Switzerland
| | - Hjalmar S. Kühl
- Department of PrimatologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
- Sustainability and Complexity in Ape Habitat GroupGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
| | - Matthew G. Nowak
- Conservation DivisionThe PanEco Foundation ‐ Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme Berg am Irchel Switzerland
- Department of AnthropologySouthern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Down from the treetops: red langur (Presbytis rubicunda) terrestrial behavior. Primates 2018; 59:437-448. [PMID: 30027488 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0676-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Using direct observations and camera traps at eight sites across Indonesian Borneo we show how red langurs (Presbytis rubicunda) are more terrestrial than previously believed, regularly coming to the ground. This unusual behavior has been found at six of the eight sites surveyed. We find that red langurs come to the ground more frequently in disturbed forests, specifically ones which have been impacted by logging, fire, and hunting, though more data are needed to confirm this as a direct correlation. We also found a trend towards decreased ground use with increased elevation of the habitat. When on the ground, red langurs are predominantly engaged in feeding (50% direct observations, 61% camera traps) and traveling (29% direct observations, 13% camera traps). Red langurs are found on the ground throughout the day, at similar times to activity periods of the apex predator, the Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi). We suggest that ground use by red langurs could be an adaptation to disturbed forest to exploit additional food sources and to facilitate travel.
Collapse
|
19
|
Strier KB. Primate social behavior. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 165:801-812. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Karen B. Strier
- Department of Anthropology; University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison Wisconsin, 53706
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lowenstine LJ, McManamon R, Terio KA. Apes. PATHOLOGY OF WILDLIFE AND ZOO ANIMALS 2018. [PMCID: PMC7173580 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-805306-5.00015-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
21
|
Halsey LG, Coward SRL, Thorpe SKS. Bridging the gap: parkour athletes provide new insights into locomotion energetics of arboreal apes. Biol Lett 2017; 12:rsbl.2016.0608. [PMID: 27881766 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The tree canopy is an energetically challenging environment to traverse. Along with compliant vegetation, gaps in the canopy can prove energetically costly if they force a route-extending detour. Arboreal apes exhibit diverse locomotion strategies, including for gap crossing. Which one they employ in any given scenario may be influenced by the energy costs to do so, which are affected by the details of the immediate environment in combination with their body size. Measuring energetics of arboreal apes is not tractable; thus our knowledge in this area is limited. We devised a novel, custom-made experimental set-up to record the energy expenditure of parkour athletes tree-swaying, jumping and vertical climbing. The latter strategy was vastly more expensive, indicating that when energy economy is the focus arboreal apes will prioritize routes that limit height changes. Whether tree-swaying or jumping was most economical for the athletes depended upon interactions between tree stiffness, the distance to cross, number of tree-sways required and their own mass. Updated analysis of previous interspecific correlations suggests that whether the relative costs to vertical climb are size-invariant across primate species is complicated by details of the climbing context.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Samuel R L Coward
- University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.,Dudley College, Dudley DY1 4AS, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Heldstab SA, van Schaik CP, Isler K. Being fat and smart: A comparative analysis of the fat-brain trade-off in mammals. J Hum Evol 2017; 100:25-34. [PMID: 27765147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Humans stand out among non-aquatic mammals by having both an extremely large brain and a relatively large amount of body fat. To understand the evolution of this human peculiarity we report a phylogenetic comparative study of 120 mammalian species, including 30 primates, using seasonal variation in adult body mass as a proxy of the tendency to store fat. Species that rely on storing fat to survive lean periods are expected to be less active because of higher costs of locomotion and have increased predation risk due to reduced agility. Because a fat-storage strategy reduces the net cognitive benefit of a large brain without reducing its cost, such species should be less likely to evolve a larger brain than non-fat-storing species. We therefore predict that the two strategies to buffer food shortages (storing body fat and cognitive flexibility) are compensatory, and therefore predict negative co-evolution between relative brain size and seasonal variation in body mass. This trade-off is expected to be stronger in predominantly arboreal species than in more terrestrial ones, as the cost of transporting additional adipose depots is higher for climbing than for horizontal locomotion. We did, indeed, find a significant negative correlation between brain size and coefficient of variation (CV) in body mass in both sexes for the subsample of arboreal species, both in all mammals and within primates. In predominantly terrestrial species, in contrast, this correlation was not significant. We therefore suggest that the adoption of habitually terrestrial locomotor habits, accompanied by a reduced reliance on climbing, has allowed for a primate of our body size the unique human combination of unusually large brains and unusually large adipose depots.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra A Heldstab
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Carel P van Schaik
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Karin Isler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Spehar SN, Rayadin Y. Habitat use of Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus morio) in an Industrial Forestry Plantation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-017-9959-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
24
|
Vogel ER, Alavi SE, Utami-Atmoko SS, van Noordwijk MA, Bransford TD, Erb WM, Zulfa A, Sulistyo F, Farida WR, Rothman JM. Nutritional ecology of wild Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in a peat swamp habitat: Effects of age, sex, and season. Am J Primatol 2016; 79:1-20. [PMID: 27889926 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The spatial and temporal variation in food abundance has strong effects on wildlife feeding and nutrition. This variation is exemplified by the peatland forests of Central Kalimantan, which are characterized by unpredictable fruiting fluctuations, relatively low levels of fruit availability, and low fruit periods (<3% of trees fruiting) that can last nearly a year. Challenged by these environments, large, arboreal frugivores like orangutans must periodically rely on non-preferred, lower-quality foods to meet their nutritional needs. We examined variation in nutrient intake among age-sex classes and seasons over a 7-year period at the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station in Central Kalimantan. We conducted 2,316 full-day focal follows on 62 habituated orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). We found differences in total energy and macronutrient intake across age-sex classes, controlling for metabolic body mass. Intake of both total energy and macronutrients varied with fruit availability, and preference of dietary items increased with their nutritional quality. Foraging-related variables, such as day journey length, travel time, and feeding time, also varied among age-sex classes and with fruit availability. Our results add to the growing body of literature suggesting that great variation in foraging strategies exists among species, populations, and age-sex classes and in response to periods of resource scarcity. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS The spatial and temporal variation in food abundance has strong effects on wildlife feeding and nutrition. Here we present the first long term study of the effects of variation in fruit availability and age/sex class on nutritional ecology of wild Bornean orangutans. We examined variation in nutrient intake of wild orangutans in living in a peat swamp habitat over a 7-year period at the Tuanan Orangutan Research Station in Central Kalimantan. We conducted 2,316 full-day focal follows on 62 habituated orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). We found differences in total energy and macronutrient intake across age-sex classes, controlling for metabolic body mass. Intake of both total energy and macronutrients varied with fruit availability, and preference of dietary items increased with their nutritional quality. Foraging-related variables, such as day journey length, travel time, and feeding time, also varied among age-sex classes and with fruit availability. Our results add to the growing body of literature suggesting that great variation in foraging strategies exists among species, populations, and age-sex classes and in response to periods of resource scarcity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erin R Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.,The Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.,Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Shauhin E Alavi
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.,The Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | | | | | - Timothy D Bransford
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.,The Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Wendy M Erb
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.,The Center for Human Evolutionary Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Astri Zulfa
- Falkutas Biologi, Universitas Nasional Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | - Wartika Rosa Farida
- Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong-Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Jessica M Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, New York
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
The dark side of the red ape: male-mediated lethal female competition in Bornean orangutans. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2053-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|