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Threatened monkey populations surprisingly large
A new census in Cambodia reveals remarkably large populations of two monkey species that are threatened with extinction.
The monkey tally, announced today, represents the largest known populations of these species in the world.
Scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society counted 42,000 black-shanked douc langurs and 2,500 yellow-cheeked crested gibbons in Cambodia's Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area, which is about the size of Yosemite National Park.
The WCS surveys were conducted with the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
The two primate species are found in much lower numbers at other sites in Cambodia and Vietnam. Before the recent discovery, Vietnam was thought to be home to the largest known populations of both species, with 600 black-shanked douc langurs and 200 yellow-cheeked crested gibbons.
The report comes in the same month as a WCS announcement of the discovery of 125,000 western lowland gorillas in northern Republic of Congo.
Read more at the hyperlink.
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What a sight to behold in the face of worldwide threats affecting so many endemic species. It just proves that Nature is still strong and will fight on, with or without humankind. A new census in Cambodia reveals remarkably large populations of two monkey species that are threatened with extinction. ... more -
Monkeys find giving rewarding
A new study is suggesting that animals can be altruistic, after it found that monkeys enjoy giving. The research involved capuchin monkeys, who were offered a choice to either selfishly reward themselves with food, or to give some to another capuchin as well. They found that the monkeys were far more likely to choose the 'altruistic' option when paired with a monkey they knew - researchers believe that the pleasure of seeing another monkey happy is behind the drive for sharing, which is common to primate species. A new study is suggesting that animals can be altruistic, after it found that monkeys enjoy giving. The research involved capuchin mo... more
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Gorilla undergoes professional dentist treatment
Pertinax, a silverback Western gorilla weighing 28 st, had to be sedated for two hours while a specialist vet dentist successfully operated on him to remove a painful three inch root.
The primate is recovering well, but was said to be "understandably groggy" after the operation at Paignton Zoo in Devon.
He was treated by Dr Peter Kertesz, one of only a few specialist zoo dentists in the world, who has worked on exotic species including whales, pandas and elephants. He said: "Animals or people, it's all the same - they need treatment, they get treatment. The scale is what varies - and the location. It is all about teamwork. It is a very serious business. The health and sometimes the life of a rare creature is in your hands."
Pertinax is the 25-year-old leader of the zoo's bachelor group of gorillas. Pertinax, a silverback Western gorilla weighing 28 st, had to be sedated for two hours while a specialist vet dentist successfully ope... more -
Monkey island found... in South Carolina!
Once thought to be an urban legend, thousands of monkeys live on their own on a swampy island in the South Carolina low country, reported Charlotte, N.C., NBC affiliate WCNC-TV.
The 3,500 Rhesus monkeys on the island are federally protected. WCNC did not disclose the island's exact location to protect its inhabitants. WCNC reported the first batch were placed there in 1979.
"A lot of people don't believe it," said Vince Loper, whose family has owned a home directly across from "Monkey Island" for decades.
Loper himself had thought it was an urban legend until he finally spotted the monkeys.
On a recent trip to the island with Loper and his son, Devin, it took several hours for the monkeys to slowly come out of the trees and toward the boat.
They were left on the island to live and now produce nearly 750 newborns a year.
Every monkey is tagged or tattooed, and each year, 500 monkeys are taken to labs.
Over the decades, they've been used to test vaccines for everything from AIDS to bio-terrorism agents.
Few people, even those who live nearby, have ever seen the animals. And most don't believe it is possible Once thought to be an urban legend, thousands of monkeys live on their own on a swampy island in the South Carolina low country, repor... more -
Monkey on the loose in Tokyo metro station
A renegade monkey hid in Tokyo's Shibuya station for more than two hours. Police officers used nets to try to capture the simian. After a few hours, the monkey escaped into the crowd, and eluded the 30 cops who were surrounding it.
"It's a monkey - it's not like it did anything bad," a police spokesman said, adding that the animal was still on the loose. A renegade monkey hid in Tokyo's Shibuya station for more than two hours. Police officers used nets to try to capture the simian.... more -
Japanese Zoo Animals Get Cool Treats
Photos from the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday, August 12, 2008.
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Pig Ugly?
Sometimes you read a story about an animal that touches your heart, restores your faith in the world and makes you go "Awwwwwwww". This isn't one of those stories. Sometimes you read a story about an animal that touches your heart, restores your faith in the world and makes you go "Awwwwwwww&... more
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Driving primates to the edge
Are primates and monkeys sending us the message: if we're dying out, so will you?
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Half of all primate species face extinction
A new study warns that 48% of the world's primates species face extinction.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species says the main threats are habitat loss, primarily through the burning and clearing of tropical forests, hunting of primates for food and illegal wildlife trade.
The survey showed that out of 634 recognised species and subspecies, 11% were Critically Endangered, 22% were Endangered, while a further 15% were listed as Vulnerable.
With 71% considered at risk of extinction, Asia had the greatest proportion of threatened primates. The five nations with the highest percentage of endangered species were all within Asia. A new study warns that 48% of the world's primates species face extinction. ... more -
baby howler monkey hand-fed
Photos of Diego, a baby Howler Monkey at the Edinburgh Zoo in Edinburgh, Scotland, taken on Tuesday, July 29, 2008.
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Gorillaz do the Olympics
This part of a BBC marketing campaign for the Olympics. It was created by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, the duo behind Gorillaz. The video is based on the Chinese folktale 'Journey to the West'. This part of a BBC marketing campaign for the Olympics. It was created by Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, the duo behind Gorillaz. The... more
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Monkey Menace Reaches Terrifying New Level
It's a well-known fact that the monkeys have been plotting against us since the days of yore. But their terrible plans will get sped up quite horribly once they've mastered the skill of banking. That's right. Someone's been teaching the little hellions how to use money! "[O]ne can get some clues as to how evolution prepared us for money from the burgeoning research that seeks to present animals with economic choices. To gain perspective on human financial decisions, one may ask, what would monkeys do?Keith Chen and Marc Hauser at Yale University taught monkeys about resources that bear a strong resemblance to money. Monkeys don't care about money, per se, but they do care about marshmallows." It's a well-known fact that the monkeys have been plotting against us since the days of yore. But their terrible plans will get s... more
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The Amazing Capuchin Monkeys: Almost Human
These monkeys can do more than just eat bananas.
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Life's Lessons Bullshit and Brilliance: Short Story
My Dad sent me this. Silly but appreciated...
A wealthy old lady decides to go on a photo safari in Africa, taking her faithful aged poodle named Cuddles along for the company.
One day the poodle starts chasing butterflies and before long, Cuddles discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.
The old poodle thinks, 'Oh, oh! I'm in deep doo-doo now!' Noticing some bones on the ground close by, he immediately settles down to chew on the bones with his back to the approaching cat. Just as the leopard is about to leap the old poodle exclaims loudly, 'Boy, that was one delicious leopard! I wonder if there are any more around here?'
Hearing this, the young leopard halts his attack in mid-strike, a look of terror comes over him and he slinks away into the trees. 'Whew!' says the leopard, 'That was close! That old poodle nearly had me!'
Meanwhile, a monkey who had been watching the whole scene from a nearby tree, figures he can put this knowledge to good use and trade it for protection from the leopard. So off he goes, but the old poodle sees him heading after the leopard with great speed, and figures that something must be up. The monkey soon catches up with the leopard, spills the beans and strikes a deal for himself with the leopard.
The young leopard is furious at being made a fool of and says, 'Here, monkey, hop on my back and see what's going to happen to that conniving canine!
Now, the old poodle sees the leopard coming with the monkey on his back and thinks, 'What am I going to do now?', but instead of running, the dog sits down with his back to his attackers, pretending he hasn't seen them yet, and just when they get close enough to hear, the old poodle says,
'Where's that damn monkey? I sent him off an hour ago to bring me another leopard!
Moral of this story....
Don't mess with old farts .. age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!
Bullshit and brilliance only come with age and experience. My Dad sent me this. Silly but appreciated... ... more -
Diet for 'fat monkeys'
A group of monkeys in a Japanese Park have been put on a strict diet after many of them ballooned from overeating. The primates are now on a crash diet, with their calorie intake being cut nearly sixty-percent. A group of monkeys in a Japanese Park have been put on a strict diet after many of them ballooned from overeating. The primates are no... more
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Monkeys can now count!
A research team led by Kerry Jordan of Utah State University, Logan, US has shown that two Rhesus macaques can learn to count. The monkeys where trained to count the number of beebs they could here and touch an image on screen with the same number of dots. The monkeys scored 66% and 72% in the test respectivley, showing that although they make errors they can conceptualise numbers as abstract concepts.
The monkeys albeit primitive mathematical skills show that another trait once thought only humans where capable and further blurs the line of what makes us human. It is not only monkeys that have been shown to have rudimentary number skills, parrots and flycatchers have also been shown to have the most basic of number based skills. A research team led by Kerry Jordan of Utah State University, Logan, US has shown that two Rhesus macaques can learn to count. The mo... more -
Spain set to give apes 'human rights'
Spain's parliament are reportedly all set to pass a new law that will see the right to life and freedom being granted to apes. If passed, the first-of-its kind legislation will make it illegal for apes to be kept for experiments, circuses, TV commercials and filming.
A great day for Ape rights, not so good for Bubbles' TV career... Spain's parliament are reportedly all set to pass a new law that will see the right to life and freedom being granted to apes. If... more -
Monkey uses hosepipe to escape Zoo
A spider monkey new to the city's Washington Park Zoo used a garden hose to scale the walls of a moat and make a break for freedom.
Workers were cleaning the moat at the time Wednesday. Zoo Director Johnny Martinez says workers had figured the monkeys would remain inside their enclosure during the cleaning even though the moat was empty of water. A spider monkey new to the city's Washington Park Zoo used a garden hose to scale the walls of a moat and make a break for freedo... more -
Could Texas schools teach Creationism soon?
Texas Public Schools may be teaching creationism / intelligent design soon as the State Board of Education gears up to attack evolution in its revision of the state science standards.
This is an interview of the Chairman of the Board, Don McLeroy, who is a self-pronounced creationist. He says in the video that he believes in evolution but it is obvious that he is lying as he begins to state that he wishes to force Texas educators to teach the alleged "weaknesses" of evolution. The scientific community as a whole denies the existence of any "weaknesses" of evolution, and as a result McLeroy wishes to use these fake "weaknesses" as a trojan horse to attack the theory of evolution so that creationism may be taught in its place.
If you live in Texas or know somebody who does, have them sign the Texas Freedom Network's petition telling the State Board that you stand up for science and support the theory of evolution and oppose the teaching of religious concepts like creationism or ID in the science classroom at:
https://secure2.convio.net/txfree/site/SSurvey?SURVEY_I...
To hear or read a transcript of a speech given by McLeory at his church about how to destroy the teaching of evolution, follow this link:
http://www.tfn.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mcleroylect...
In the lecture he explains that creationists must continually remind the scientific community that they may be wrong and to project the alleged "weaknesses" or evolution. (which do not exist and are fake and have been proven so time and time again.)
"We're not in Kansas anymore!" Texas Public Schools may be teaching creationism / intelligent design soon as the State Board of Education gears up to attack evolutio... more
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