Animal Books

Posts Tagged ‘evolution’

The Naked Ape is a classic book on the origins of humans, written by Desmond Morris.  In this 1969 classic, Morris looks at human beings as animal-like creatures, something that was a very strange thing at the time.  The Naked Ape gives insight on man’s beginnings, sex life, habits and our bond to the animal kingdom.

This is a very adult book, very graphic and actually quite fun; by the funnest and most entertaining book i have seen so far.  The chapter on sex is fascinating.  I have spent hours at zoos and seen all different kinds of animals mating but it always fascinates me to see how other animals procreate and it’s qutie obvious the great apes (Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans) are the animals that mate most like us.

After the acknowleedgements and introduction, there are 9 main chapters in the Naked Ape:

1. Origins
2. Sex
3. Rearing
4. Exploration
5. Fighting
6. Feeding
7. Comfort
8. Animals
9. Appendix: Literature
10. Bibliography

Desmond Morris graduated from college in 1951 with a first class degree in zoology and went on to work at the Lond Zoo, heading the mammal department.  Not only is Morris a zoologist and author, he is also a surrealist painter.  He has also worked with chimpanzees in the 1950’s, training them to also paint.

This book is a reminder to humans that we are, in fact, just an animal.  We are a special animal in the family of the great apes, evolving from the same great apes millions of years ago.  Humans have evolved into an amazing being with many faults, but this ground breaking book was one of the first to really look at humans as animals and compare our complex lives with those other animals that we share this earth with.While this book is dated, it is still a very interesting and entertaining read.

For further reading, please check out all of the animal books that i have reviewed.  Also please feel free to check out some of my animal pictures that i have taken!

The Ape at the Brink of the Human Mind

Ah, the great great ape Kanzi.  If you are a fan of smart animals and you do not know who Kanzi the Bonobo is, you probably should read this book.  I am very excited and pleased to present this book on Kanzi, the ape that learned to understand human’s language.

If you ever wondered if animals had the ability to think, this book will prove that they do without question.  If you ever if humans could ever talk to the animals, Kanzi proves that it is possible.

An example of lexigram symbols

Although Kanzi does not have the ability to speak like humans, Kanzi can certainly communicate in another form of language by using the Lexigram system, which is using symbols that represents a word.

This method of communication may seem strange or unimpressive, but once you see Kanzi in action you will understand how amazing it is.  For example, if the person working with kanzi had a banana in their pocket, Kanzi would probably point to the banana symbol to let them know what he wanted.

Another amazing ability that Kanzi possessed was the ability to understand human’s spoken language.  This is the really amazing thing about kanzi, for he could sit and listen to a human speak and know exactly what that person is saying.  If you look at the video below, you can see that Kanzi fully understands the woman talking.  The reason the woman has a mask over her head is to show you how kanzi does not need to the aid of reading lips, he is just hearing what needs to be done.

If you need an introduction to Kanzi, please view the youtube video to the left.

Ok, good.  Now you know Kanzi!  Back to the book review.

This book is by far the best book written on a great ape learning to communicate with humans.  The author, Sue Savage-Rumbaugh (along with Roger Lewin) is the perfect person to write on this topic because she spent years teaching Kanzi how to use the Lexigram system so that they could communicate with each other.

If you are fascinated with this Bonobo Chimpanzee, you need to check this out.  The middle of the book has a nice selection of black and white photos of Kanzi throughout the years that will make you giggle with delight as you seen him wanting to go for a ride in the van, without anyone giving him the key to unlock the door you can see a photo of Kanzi using a screwdriver he had found on the ground to try to stick it in the keyhole to unlock the door.  There are photos of Kanzi at a very young age, Kanzi playing with the Lexigram charts and many more!

Who should read this book?

If you are interested in learning more about Kanzi, check it out.  If you want to find out how a chimpanzee was taught to communicate with humans, this book is for you!

For further reading, please check out all of the animal books that i have reviewed.  Also please feel free to check out some of my animal pictures that i have taken! I have recently reviewed Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape which is a must read for bonobo lovers!

What Primate Behavior Can Tell Us About Human Social Evolution

Tree of Origin by Frans de Waal is a  wonderful book that looks to the chimpanzees and other primates to learn about how our early human ancestors probably would have behaved and lived.

If you have ever spent a few minutes watching Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Orangutans or Gorillas at a zoo you may have noticed how they have moments of very “human-like” behavior.  I find this very fascinating and it always makes me wonder if we are in fact related to the Bonobos and Chimpanzees, something i’m quite sure of now.

Tree of Origin, which was published in 2001, is an amazing book with 9 of the world’s top primate experts who each add their own knowledge in explaining how the Great Apes behavior is a hint at how the early humans evolved into what we are today.

Jane Goodall gave a quote on the back of the book, which i think gives you a good idea at how important this book is to the scientific community:

The last few decades have seen enormous progress in the study of primate behavior.  Nine of the world’s leading experts team up tot ell us what it all means, throwing new light on human evolution.

The Similarities Between Humans and Primates

Frans de Waal brings up some interesting topics that us humans have in common with the great apes.  For instance, Tree of origin covers  how different groups of Chimpanzees use different tools suited to their environment.  They also look at how the chimpanzees will set off on hunting parties and patrol their neighborhood for unwanted trespassers.  The book also talks about social customs that set each ape community apart, which sounds very human like too.

Who Should Buy this Book

If you are interested in how humans evolved than this book is deffinitly for you.  If you are fascinated with monkeys and Great Apes at zoos, you should read this book.  If you want to figure out more about the Bonobo Chimpanzees and how human like they are, please pick up this book.

Since this book was published in 2001 it may be a bit difficult to find.  My best suggestion is to try your local library first, and if they do not have it amazon or ebay will surely have it.

For further reading, please check out all of the animal books that i have reviewed.  Also please feel free to check out some of my animal pictures that i have taken!

While watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night there was a very funny segment on the topic of which animal, chimpanzee or orangutan, are closer to humans.  While it has been said that we are closest to chimpanzees, a few scientists are saying we are more closely related to orangutans.  Watch the video below from the Daily Show!

So what do i think?  I am an avid animal watcher and former zoo keeper and i visit Chimpanzees and Orangutans regularly at zoos and which do i think act more human?

It is hard to say.  I have been amazed at how smart the Orangutans are, same for the chimps.  I have seen both animals make and use tools.  I have seen obvious communication when a group of chimpanzees discovered a snake in the exhibit.

The Great Ape Sex Debate – Looking at the difference in sex

Chimpanzees Mating

Chimpanzees have sex in one main position, the male sitting down and the female backs up into the male and sits down on the male for a few seconds. As you can see in the image i have photographed, this seems like a very basic, animal-like way of sex.  Also, sex usually happens in the chimpanzee world when the female is ready, when her sexual organs swell to a very noticeable size, giving male chimpanzees the sign that they are ready to mate.

This leaves the males to have sex with the female mainly when she is ready, only a few days out of a month, which jokingly sounds like married women who only want to have sex to become pregnant.

The Chimpanzees look very similar to humans except for a few key features, mainly the very flat nose and protruding brow, the short thumb and longer fingers and the hand-like foot.

Orangutans Mating

The Orangutans definitely mate more similar to humans than the chimpanzees.  The orangutans are very special and will mate in many different, as you can see on the image i took on the right at the National Zoo in Washington DC.  As you can see, the male is lying on it’s back and the female is on top.  This did not last for seconds, but minutes, as i was shocked to see!

These two Orangutans are so sexually active that the keepers have to keep these guys separated as much as possible because they would probably have sex most of the day, which would be hard for mothers to explain to their children, especially when the sexual acts look so human like.

Which species Looks and acts more human?

A Bonobo Chimpanzee appearing very human-like.

To me, the appearance of the Chimpanzee is very similar to the humans in appearance.   If you add in the Bonobo Chimpanzee (or Pygmy Chimpanzee), which are more slender and a little more human like in appearance, it is very easy to imagine millions of years ago a human that looked almost identical to the bonobos, as you can see from the image i photographed to the right.

When viewing the Bonobos, it almost seems obvious that we evolved from them.  But what if scientists are wrong?  What if we are more closely related to the Orangutans?

Orangutan with long hair and it's hairline.

The Orangutans can look very human like at times too.  It is said that the Orangutans are the only animal to be able to smile with closed lips.  Another interesting study is the fact that Orangutans and humans can grow out their hair to amazing lengths, not seen in the Chimpanzees or Bonobos.   The Orangs also have a hairline on their head, something they share with humans.

The Orangutans have an amazing ability to show emotions with facial expressions, especially with their babies.  The Orangutan babies will whimper and cry, smile and frown.  The Orangutans also spend the second longest time raising their baby, guess who is first?  Humans of course!

A male chimpanzee teaches the younger chimps how to use a tool.

As i mentioned earlier, both the Orangutans and Chimpanzees are great tool users.  While watching the Chimpanzees at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, i have seen older chimpanzees pick up a twig and fashion it for it’s liking to use for various tasks, mainly the “honey feeder” which the chimps have to find their own tools to stick inside a black box with many holes to get to the delicious treats.  What is fascinating about watching this task is viewing the young Chimpanzees curiously watching the adults figure out how to get the contents out of the box, as you can see in the image to the right that i took.  This is amazingly human like to me, seeing a young adult male chimpanzee showing the younger chimpanzees how to use a tool to complete a task.  With all three of the young chimpanzees watching, they pretty much got the hang of it and were seen doing it themselves within days.

The Orangutans are amazing tool users also, and what i witnessed in the National Zoo in Washington DC left me dumb-founded.  I witnessed an Orangutan creating her own cleaning cloth to wash the glass in her own exhibit!

Orangutan using tools to clean a window - click for more photos

I witnessed the young female Orangutan imitating the zoo keepers who would spray the window with a cleaning solution, wipe down the window with a cloth and then squeegee the window clean. This amazing girl ripped apart a piece of cloth with her teeth and hands and wrapped pieces of hay into the strip of cloth and rolled it up like a sushi roll, creating a sponge.  Next, she would collect as much saliva in her mouth and spit it out onto the window.  This was her cleaning liquid!  Now with the liquid on the window she took her cleaning cloth and wiped the windows clean!  What next, you may ask?  Using her forearms, the brilliant Orangutan squeegeed the windows dry using her long arm hairs!

If you want to see more photos from this, please visit my animal photos on flickr.

So what do you think?  Who are we closer related to?

Now i would like to hear from you!  What do you think about this debate?  Could we be closer related to the Orangutans, or do you believe in the original theory?  What about Gorillas?  Is there any way we could be related to them?  Your comments are needed!