Abstract:Inclusion of osteological material in primatological research has a long history, and use of skeletal remains continues to be important in anatomical and anthropological research. Here we report a set of proven methods, including equipment, protocol, and procedure, which enable relatively simple acquisition of skeletal material from naturally deceased animals in field sites and sanctuaries. Such skeletal material, often with extensive accompanying life-history data, is a unique and valuable source of data for … Show more
“…At Kumamoto, researchers have looked at chimpanzee morphology [271,272], chimpanzee and bonobo finger length proportions [273], and the skeletal material of deceased primates from several sanctuaries [274]. Other topics of study at Kumamoto include chimpanzee colour vision [275,276], taste receptors [277,278], growth [279,280] and reproductive biology [281].…”
Section: (C) Veterinary Genetic and Physiologymentioning
While non-human primate studies have long been conducted in laboratories, and more recently at zoological parks, sanctuaries are increasingly considered a viable setting for research. Accredited sanctuaries in non-range countries house thousands of primates formerly used as subjects of medical research, trained performers or personal pets. In range countries, however, sanctuaries typically house orphaned primates confiscated from illegal poaching and the bushmeat and pet trafficking trades. Although the primary mission of these sanctuaries is to rescue and rehabilitate residents, many of these organizations are increasingly willing to participate in non-invasive research. Notably, from a scientific standpoint, most sanctuaries provide potential advantages over traditional settings, such as large, naturalistic physical and social environments which may result in more relevant models of primates' free-ranging wild counterparts than other captive settings. As a result, an impressive scope of research in the fields of primate behaviour, cognition, veterinary science, genetics and physiology have been studied in sanctuaries. In this review, we examine the range and form of research that has been conducted at accredited sanctuaries around the world. We also describe the potential challenges of sanctuary-based work and the considerations that external researchers may face when deciding to collaborate with primate sanctuaries on their research projects.
“…At Kumamoto, researchers have looked at chimpanzee morphology [271,272], chimpanzee and bonobo finger length proportions [273], and the skeletal material of deceased primates from several sanctuaries [274]. Other topics of study at Kumamoto include chimpanzee colour vision [275,276], taste receptors [277,278], growth [279,280] and reproductive biology [281].…”
Section: (C) Veterinary Genetic and Physiologymentioning
While non-human primate studies have long been conducted in laboratories, and more recently at zoological parks, sanctuaries are increasingly considered a viable setting for research. Accredited sanctuaries in non-range countries house thousands of primates formerly used as subjects of medical research, trained performers or personal pets. In range countries, however, sanctuaries typically house orphaned primates confiscated from illegal poaching and the bushmeat and pet trafficking trades. Although the primary mission of these sanctuaries is to rescue and rehabilitate residents, many of these organizations are increasingly willing to participate in non-invasive research. Notably, from a scientific standpoint, most sanctuaries provide potential advantages over traditional settings, such as large, naturalistic physical and social environments which may result in more relevant models of primates' free-ranging wild counterparts than other captive settings. As a result, an impressive scope of research in the fields of primate behaviour, cognition, veterinary science, genetics and physiology have been studied in sanctuaries. In this review, we examine the range and form of research that has been conducted at accredited sanctuaries around the world. We also describe the potential challenges of sanctuary-based work and the considerations that external researchers may face when deciding to collaborate with primate sanctuaries on their research projects.
“…3 ; note that the images contain graphic content). After obtaining hair and tissue samples from the corpse, it was buried in accordance with safety guidelines and a skeletal material recovery protocol (Garrod et al 2015 ). Fig.…”
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are categorized as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and habitat loss due to conversion of land for agriculture is one of the major threats to wild populations of this species. This challenging scenario can lead to negative human-chimpanzee interactions, including crop feeding. Chimpanzees consume crops across their geographical range, although little is known about this behavior in savanna habitats. Here we provide new evidence of crop feeding by savanna chimpanzees. We conducted our observations at Dindefelo, a community nature reserve in southeastern Senegal. The chimpanzees were observed to feed on mango (Mangifera indica) and also on baobab (Adansonia digitata), a wild species considered a crop by local people when found in and around villages. Although local people use the fruits of these species for food and income, they tolerated crop-feeding events until recently. In 2023, a case of harassment of a crop-feeding chimpanzee in a mango orchard was witnessed, and four days later a chimpanzee corpse was found at the same place. We conclude that habitat conversion into agricultural fields, uncontrolled bush fires and extraction of wild fruits are the important factors influencing crop-feeding events at Dindefelo. Our findings highlight the need to better understand human-chimpanzee interactions in the anthropogenic landscape of Dindefelo to help mitigate negative attitudes and behaviors towards chimpanzees.
“…There are limitations, however, and in this context, we note the tendency of primate field workers, park staff, and caretakers of captive primate populations to remove a new corpse within a short period of time following the death, a practice that results in the loss of potentially useful information about subsequent primate mortuary activities. In the field, a death may rightly be looked upon as providing a source of materials for anatomical, pathological, or biochemical studies, etc., and indeed there exist recommended procedures for burial, excavation, and preparation of nonhuman primate skeletal remains (Garrod et al 2015). Swift removal and disposal of corpses may also be justified in terms of prevention of the spread of disease (in both the field and captivity) (e.g., Porter et al 2019), or in safari parks or zoos, to shield visitors from seeing dead animals, as the latter can give rise to negative reactions (e.g., Benbow 2004), and simply due to concerns about appropriate and ethical treatment of the dead.…”
Section: The Wider Ethological and Anthropological Contextmentioning
In recent years, a thanatology of primates has become a respectable research topic, and although still sparse, observations among several taxa have shown how complex responses to the dead can be. In human evolutionary archeology, re-analysis of old 'burial' sites is slowly revising our view on the development of specifically human responses to the dead. We propose here the means of integrating information from the two disciplines of primatology and archeology, in support of the field of primate thanatology. We propose a terminology and a shared set of research questions, from which we generate a number of observations that can be utilized in the field, in order to establish a working dialogue and foster greater collaboration across the two disciplines.
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