Spotlight on Students: Primate Conservation

The following is a guest post featuring the work of a student enrolled in SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology.  This exceptional work highlights the importance of primate conservation.  I hope you find this piece informative and are inspired to make a positive change in the world that will help this and other endangered primates.

 

Eastern Lowland Gorilla (Copyright: Karl Ammann; Source: World Wildlife Federation)

 

By: Trey Sestak

The mention of the country Democratic Republic of Congo may conjure images of dense jungles and the large, exotic animals, such as crocodiles, elephants, and the Eastern lowland gorilla, that live in this area. The Eastern lowland gorilla is known by many names, including the Eastern gorilla, Grauer’s gorilla, or the Gorilla beringei graueri. Unfortunately, this gorilla can also be categorized as critically endangered as assessed by the IUCN (Robins, 2018).

The Eastern lowland gorilla maybe an unfamiliar name, but it is in fact easily recognized. Of all the primates the Eastern lowland gorilla is by far the largest at over four hundred pounds (on average) but unfortunately falls short in height at about five and half feet (Christopher, 2022) As for their physical attributes; they have a muscular physique with dark fur covering their bodies, the exception being to the face, hands, and feet. Male Eastern lowland gorillas are also known to grey from the shoulders down their backs once they have grown between eight and thirteen years of age, giving them the nickname of Silverbacks. This greying stage is not exclusive to just the Grauner’s gorilla but every gorilla species, the silvered backs are associated with the patriarchal leader and is limited to one for every family unit (Christopher, 2022). Despite their size, strength, and in some cases aggression, all gorillas are strictly herbivores with exception to some insects, but despite how they are depicted in popular culture, they do not eat bananas.

Accounting for the condition of the Democratic Republic of Congo, many of these gorillas’ interactions with humans are unfortunately very detrimental, which has led to the Eastern lowland gorilla being placed on the endangered species list. Both intentional and unintentional human interferences are to blame, whether it be habitat destruction from human development or getting caught in humanity’s civil unrest. Nothing harms the Eastern lowland gorilla population more than the bushmeat market, as said on the website Gorilla-Haven, “Driving forces behind a boosted demand for bushmeat (meat from wild animals) include war and violent unrest, as it drives refugees away from their normal occupations and closer to or even into gorilla habitats” (Eastern Lowland Gorilla, 2022:1).

Luckily, several laws were passed to protect animals classified as endangered, of which established national parks to protect the area and prohibits hunting of endangered animals with recent emphasis on the Great Apes (Gorillas-World, 2021). The bushmeat trade is a problem for vast assortments of endangered animals, even with their hunting deemed illegal internationally. There is desperation on the human side as well. The act of war is destructive not just for the foundations of these animals but the people both caught in the middle. Many local authorities who could enforce these laws are often too preoccupied with the conflict to properly act.

But it does not always have to be authoritative intervention alone to help endangered animals, sometimes it is the local communities who take it upon themselves to act, this holds true for examples of community managed forests. As stated in the website Earth.org, “Now that communities own the forests for themselves, they have a better incentive to protect them, motivated by the steady employment, health care, payment of school fees and improved living conditions the Fossey fund provides, Ngobobo said. He added that locals now alert Fossey fund staff when they notice a suspected poacher roaming their forest” (Starling, 2021:1). There are even steps taken by organizations to educate the next generation of school aged children of the importance of their local forests and the animals within (“Why Gorillas Matter”, 2020). The Eastern lowland gorilla’s importance when it comes to the ecological maintenance of their forest home should not be understated especially due to their large size and herbivorous diet, eating large quantities of fruits and other seeded plants adds to the biodiversity of their territories. After consumption, the indigestible seeds are expelled in a new location for growth, the gorilla having unknowingly played the role of dispersal for the sedentary plants that cannot be spread effectively by wind (Starling,2021).

Nonhuman primates are our closest known relatives, even if we are estranged by millions of years. In every interactive study of nonhuman primates, we learn more about ourselves and what we once were. All of nonhuman primates should be spared extinction, their niches are unique to them and important to the dispersal of new foliage and in some cases sustenance to natural predators. If not for the benefit of every primate’s ecological place, then just an act of preserving our relatives and past should be enough reason. It would be easy if the fighting just stopped and the gorillas were left alone, but that is unrealistic at the current moment. Instead, all that can really be done are the acts of the few, helping these animals through good will alone and have faith in a bright future for not just these gorillas but every animal who needs help.

                                    Work Cited

Robbins, Martha, et al. “IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eastern Gorilla.” IUCN Red List of          Threatened Species, 2 Aug. 2018, Retrieved October 4, 2022 www.iucnredlist.org/species/39994/115576640.

Christopher, Ssekanyula. “Why Called the Silverback.” Gorilla Info Hub, 22 Feb. 2022,              Accessed 17 Oct. 2022, from gorillainfohub.com/activities/why-called-the-silverback/.

“Eastern Lowland Gorilla.” Gorilla Heaven, 19 Apr. 2022, Accessed October 5, 2022, from        

https://www.gorilla-haven.org/eastern-lowland-gorilla/

“Why Gorillas Matter- Save Gorillas. Save the Planet.” Dian Fossey, 23 Sept. 2020, Accessed October 5, 2022, from gorillafund.org/uncategorized/why-gorillas-matter-save-gorillas-save-the-planet/.

Starling, Marlowe. “In DRC, Community Ownership of Forests Helps Guard the Grauer’s Gorilla.”         Mongabay Environmental News, 6 July 2021, Accessed 16 Oct. 2022,         https://news.mongabay.com/2021/07/in-drc-community-ownership-of-forests-helps-guard-the           grauers-gorilla/.

 

Spotlight on Students: Primate Conservation

The following is a guest post featuring the work of a student enrolled in SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology.  This exceptional work highlights the importance of primate conservation.  I hope you find this piece informative and are inspired to make a positive change in the world that will help this and other endangered primates.

 

 By: Gina Wilson

Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset (Source: Arkive.org; Photographer: Savio Bruno)

 

Up in the mountains of Brazil lives a primate called the Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset, with the genus name Callithrix penicillata. These small marmosets have gothic-like features, a ringed-tailed, and beautiful hair. Though, sadly they are going extinct from an array of threats. Some of these threats are in the process of being remedied, but others are not so easily fixed.

The Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset are small marmosets are described as having tufts of white fur along the sides of their face with a skull-like shape on their face, which is why they were given the name “little skull marmoset” (Hall). Heim has described them to also have “short snouts with flat noses, round yellow eyes, and a down-turned mouth that suggests eternal dissatisfaction”. These interesting facial features are the reason I choose to research them. Some other distinctive features that set them apart from other primates are the lack of a prehensile tail, small incisors, and claws rather than nails (Heim). Their small incisors do not allow them to gouge trees and branches to get gum, so they get their nutrition in other ways. Their diet consists of bugs, small creatures like frogs and snails, cacti, flowering plants, and fungi; with fungi making up about 65% of their diet (Zundell). These marmosets are located within the mountains of south-eastern Brazil, giving them the third name of “mountain marmoset” (Hall). These mountains are cold due to their high altitude and are spread across the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro.

The factors that are causing the endangerment of the Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset are sickness, human hunting and capturing, and the destruction of the forests. Yellow fever is a disease that is spread by mosquitos and primates, and Heim states that an outbreak of yellow fever impacted more than 7,000 primates from 2016-2017, including approximately 260 Buffy-tufted-ear marmosets. Human hunting and capturing have affected these marmosets by illegally trading primates as pets, bushmeat, and primate body parts (Estrada). Along with this is the destruction of forests which has been affecting many different primates and other animals. About 7% of the mountain forest habitat in south-eastern Brazil is left after being altered and urbanized by humans. This 7% is even more difficult to manage for the Buffy-tufted-ear marmoset with the colonizing of other marmoset species (Stevenson). Some of these colonizing marmosets are being released to this area from the illegal pet trade.

Some ways we can help this species and prevent their extinction are by surveying the areas they live, monitoring what they are doing, and developing effective techniques to increase the population. Surveying can help with understanding what is happening to this species, whether they are being hurt by an invasive species or a disease (Heim). Monitoring the activities of the species and assisting with their population numbers by starting breeding programs could also help with avoiding extinction. Developing effective techniques can help to control the growing numbers of invasive marmosets in the area as well as to help avoid hybridization (Heim).

            It is important to protect this species, and other species, from extinction because they affect the environment. Buffy-tufted-ear marmosets feed on an array of different fruits and insects. When they feed on fruits, they are helping spread the seeds and assist with the growth of plants, and when feeding on insects they are helping control the insect populations (Hall). This species, as well as other species, are important parts of the biodiversity and provide support to forest regeneration and the health of the forest’s ecosystem (Estrada). Primates also help us with medical research and aid us with our own population by helping us understand different diseases. Without primates, this world would be very different.

 

Zundell, Julie. "Atlantic Marmosets: Common, Black-Tufted, White-Headed & Buffy-Headed." Study.com, 18 February 2018, www.study.com/academy/lesson/atlantic-marmosets-common-black-tufted-white-headed-buffy-headed.html.

Estrada, Alejandro, et al. “Impending Extinction Crisis of the World’s Primates: Why ... - Science.” Science Advances, 18 Jan. 2017, www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1600946.

Heim, Rachel. “Buffy-Tufted-Ear Marmoset, Callithrix Aurita: New England Primate Conservancy.” New England Primate, 26 Nov. 2019, www.neprimateconservancy.org/buffy-tufted-ear-marmoset/.

Hall, James. “The Battle to Save the Buffy Tufted Marmoset of Brazil.” Earth.Org, 4 Apr. 2022, www.earth.org/buffy-tufted-marmoset-of-brazil/.

Stevenson, Miranda. “Conservationists Rally to Save the Buffy-Tufted-Ear Marmoset.” World Land Trust, 25 June 2015, https://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2015/06/conservationists-rally-save-buffy-tufted-ear-marmoset/.

 

 

Spotlight on Students: American Phrases

This post highlights the work required of my SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology students.  Students were given the opportunity to explore an American phrase of their choice, researching its history and meanings over time. Several students were given the opportunity to have their exemplary work featured on the blog, and the students who provided permission have their work featured here in this post.   Please show your appreciation for their work through the comments.

 

 

 

Knock on Wood

 

By: Steve Ross

The phrase that I chose is “knock on wood”.  I chose this phrase because I hear it a lot and even use it, but I am not sure why exactly we use it or where the phrase originates from.  Before conducting any research, I am not sure what this phrase means.  I just know from context that it is used as sort of a luck charm to not jinx a situation by speaking of recent good luck, something bad that could happen, or something bad that has never happened.  

 

The exact origins of this phrase are unknown, but there are multiple theories as to how it came about.  The action of knocking on wood is thought to come from the ancient Indo-Europeans or possibly a group of people before them.  These people believed that spirits lived inside of trees.  Pagan cultures, such as the Celts, also had similar beliefs, and that knocking on trees would rouse the spirits and call for their protection.  It also could have been a way to show gratitude for a series of good luck.  Another theory is that knocking on wood would chase away evil spirits when people spoke about their good luck, so that bad luck would not then ensue.  One more theory is that it comes from a 19th century game called “Tiggy Touchwood”.  This game is a type of tag in which players were safe from being caught when they touched a piece of wood, like a door or a tree.  These are just some of the theories of where this came from, and some are very similar.  A common theme amongst all of them is that knocking on or touching wood would provide some type of protection for us.  It originally was a way to continue a streak of good luck or ward off bad luck.  At the time people believed in tree spirits that would protect them if they knocked on wood, or would ward off evil spirits that brought bad luck.  Today it is still used in a very similar manner, but without these mystical superstitions.  

 

The meaning has not necessarily changed, but the beliefs behind it have.  Much like when this phrase/action was first introduced, we still hope that it helps us have good luck and protects us from bad things.  The difference is that now we do not believe in good or bad tree spirits that will protect us or need to be warded off.  This says that as a culture we do not believe in things like tree spirits anymore, among other supernatural beliefs that were once thought to be true.  Much like the phrase “bless you”, the action and phrase of knocking on wood is now something that we mindlessly do to bring us luck, even though most people are not sure exactly why this is supposed to bring luck.  

 

                              Works Cited

Andrews, Evan. “Why Do People Knock on Wood for Luck?” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Aug. 2016, https://www.history.com/news/why-do-people-knock-on-wood-for-luckLinks to an external site.. 

LaBracio, Lisa, and Stuart Vyse . “Why Do We Knock on Wood?” TED, 19 May 2017, https://blog.ed.ted.com/2017/05/18/why-do-we-knock-on-wood/

 

 

 

Hold Your Horses

By: Trey Sestak

 

The American phrase I chose to examine is the phrase hold your horses.  One of the reasons I chose this phrase is that I would hear it on many occasions growing up, mostly from my grandfather. Being familiar with the phrase, I had always assumed that I knew what it meant.  Since it had to do with horses, I gathered that it was an old-world phrase most likely directed towards horse and buggy, possibly of British origin. After researching the phase, I found that I was mostly correct, but unfortunately, I was wrong in my assumption that hold your horses was a British term. 

 

It actually started out written slightly different.  As stated by Gary Martin, "In keeping with its American origin, it originally was written as 'hold your hosses' and it appears in print that way many times from 1844 onwards" (Martin, n.d.:1). Looking back now, the assignment was for a phrase of American origin and if I was correct about it being a British term, I would not be able to use this phrase any ways. I was, however, correct about the definition in relation to horse and buggy, as explained on Proofed.com: "The rider or driver holds the ropes and reins that are used to slow the horses down and direct them. The idiom “hold your horses” tells someone to slow down and think about what they’re doing before they complete an action"(Idiom Tips: What Does “Hold Your Horses” Mean? | Proofed’s Writing Tips, 2022:1). Regarding how the meaning for hold your horses had changed, in the last one hundred years, horses have not been humanity's main form of transportation with the mass production of cars and other inventions of similar nature, but the phrase persisted even today and now relates to ordinary scenarios, to not be in such a rush and just take a moment to think before you act.

 

Idiom Tips: What Does “Hold Your Horses” Mean? | Proofed’s Writing Tips. Proofed. (2022, September 16). Retreived September 28, 2022, from https://proofed.com/writing-tips/idiom-tips-what-does-hold-your-horses-mean/

 

Martin, G. (n.d.). “Hold your horses” - the meaning and origin of this phrase. Phrasefinder. Retreived September 28, 2022, from https://phrases.org.uk/meanings/184400.html