asp december 2005 · for symposia, oral, and poster presenters. december, 2005 asp bulletin vol....

December, 2005 ASP Bulletin Vol. 29, No. 4

Toni Ziegler - Executive SecretaryVolume 29, Number 4 December, 2005

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PRIMATOLOGISTS

A Message from the President...

F F F

LOOK INSIDEFOR REGISTRATION

AND ABSTRACTDEADLINES FOR THE

2006 ANNUALMEETINGS!

Season’sgreetings are thefirst order ofbusiness today. Ihope that all ofyour semestersand years arecoming tofruitful conclu-sions, and that

you will all have the opportunity toenjoy the holiday season with family,friends, subjects, and/or study sites.In the spirit of the season, pleaseremember that purchases made atAmazon.com, when made throughthe link on the ASP webpage, resultin a contribution of 5% of thepurchase price to ASP. For those ofyou who prefer on-line shopping tolive mall shopping, this could reallyhelp ASP.

Don’t forget that the deadlines forboth Conservation small grants andResearch and Development smallgrants are early again this year.Conservation grants are due on Jan.16, 2006 and R & D grants are dueon April 30, 2006. As always, theAwards and Recognition Committeeis looking for nominees for ourvarious awards. Please have a lookat the ASP website for additionaldetails concerning both grants andawards.

Jeff French has been leading an ef-fort to try to improve the process ofproducing and marketing the ASPBook Series. Currently, Janette Wallisis a one-person whirlwind of activity/responsibility/accomplishment for ev-ery book “we” publish in the BookSeries. With Janette currently work-ing in Nigeria, to distribute the BookSeries “load” a little bit, and to improveour ability to disseminate the knowl-edge contained in the ASP books, we

are looking at alternative methods toproduce, and especially market thebook series. Jeff has obtained pro-posals from a number of differentpublishers and the Board of Directorsis currently trying to determine thebest approach for getting the ASPBook Series into the “mainstream”.We will keep you posted on theprogress of this endeavor, as it is criti-cal to the long-term success of theBook Series. If you have an idea fora book, please contact Janette.

Remember that ASP will bemeeting in San Antonio, TX in 2006(Aug. 16-19). It will be hot, but theconference hotel is perfectly locatedto take advantage of all of thecoolness of the Riverwalk. Dead-lines for submission of symposiaand abstracts are approaching(topics for symposia around Jan. 9and actual abstracts around Feb. 6),so start thinking about what youwould like to present. DuaneRumbaugh will be presenting theDistinguished Primatologist’s talkand there are rumors that aFounder’s symposium and anOutstanding Mentor symposiumwill be organized this year.

As a final point, I would like tokeep you up to date on some of theprogress related to theInternational PrimatologicalSociety’s XXIst Congress(June 25-30, 2006) inEntebbe, Uganda. TammieBettinger and I have coordi-nated the Congress Regis-tration and Abstract Sub-mission processes, using theconference managementtechnology developed byNancy Capitanio for ASP(IPS leased the technologyfrom ASP). There are

currently over 530 people registeredfor the Congress and approximately585 oral presentations and posterswill be included in the program. AsI said last time, ASP members aremajor contributors to the Congress.Although it is too late to submit anabstract for the Congress, it is nottoo late to register for and attend theCongress. So, have a look at thewebsite (http://www.ips2006uganda.org/) and makeplans to join us for what shouldprove to be an unforgettable IPSCongress. We will continue to keepyou apprised of critical details. Ifyou have any questions, please feelfree to contact me.

As usual, and especially in thisholiday season, please continue yourefforts in support of primates(human and non-human) and prima-tology. We are amazingly lucky tobe able to do the work that we do.Make the most of it.

Steve [email protected]


T-SHIRT SALEFOR STEPHEN

NASH ARTWORK.

ASP NOMINATIONS

COMMITTEE

I’m very excited to announce theNominations Committee, which willprovide the BOD with a slate ofcandidates for President -elect,Treasurer, and Executive Secretary. Ithink its a strong and balancedcommittee, representing the diversedisciplines, work environments,study species, etc. of the membersthat make up our Society.

THE COMMITTEEMEMBERS ARE:

Mollie Bloomsmith, YerkesNational Primate Center and

Georgia TechJohn Capitanio, UC-Davis andCalifornia National Primate

CenterBill Hopkins, Yerkes NationalPrimate Center and Berry CollegeLisa Jones-Engel, WashingtonNational Primate CenterMary Pavelka, University of

CalgaryCory Ross, University of Nebraska,Lincoln

Jeffrey A. FrenchVarner Professor of Psychology andBiologyUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha6001 Dodge StreetOmaha NE 68182402-554-2558 Voice402-554-3121 [email protected]://avalon.unomaha.edu/~crc

We still have T-shirts available from the ASP2004 meetingdesigned by Steven Nash. These shirts are collectables!

Orders will be taken until the end of January.

30 XL shirts; 5 large and 1 mediumThe cost is $18 a t-shirt.

Contact Edi Chan: [email protected]

IMPORTANT DATES

JANUARY 9, 2 006 - Symposia and Workshopabstracts with confirmed list of participants due toprogram chair.

FEBRUARY 6, 2066 - All final abstracts are duefor symposia, oral, and poster presenters.


2005 ASP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTSMALL GRANT COMPETITION

The ASP Research and Development Committee is pleased to announceits 2005 Small Grant competition. Grant proposals are invited for generalresearch projects, with preference given to funding for graduate studentresearch, pilot projects, and innovations in animal care and researchtechnology. Award amounts range from $500 to $1500, and will be for aperiod of one year. Please note that the deadline has been moved to April30, 2005, and that no applications will be accepted after the deadline.Projects that are primarily focused on conservation, such as populationsurveys, should be submitted to the Conservation Committee, not to theResearch Committee. Continue to check <http://www.asp.org/>www.asp.orgfor application details. Further questions please contact either Dr. KarenBales at: [email protected]>[email protected] or Dr. Lynn Fairbanksat: [email protected]>[email protected].

2006 CALL FOR CONSERVATION SMALL GRANT APPLICATIONSNOTE: This year, the grant proposal deadline is early again: 16 JANUARY 2006.

The ASP Conservation Committee is now accepting grant proposals for the ASP Conservation SmallGrants competition of 2006. These grants (up to $1,500) are specifically designed to help fund conservationresearch or related projects, including conservation education. ASP members working in habitat countriesare welcomed to apply or to help someone from a habitat country submit a proposal. Requests may fund asmall stand-alone project or one that is a part of a larger or ongoing effort.

Grant application guidelines may be found at the ASP web site: http://www.asp.org/grants/ConservationAwards/ConsGrantApp2006.htm. This year, we have added a Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) section to help with some of the most common questions. If you still have questions, please contactthe ASP Conservation Committee Chair at the address below. Materials may be submitted online at the ASPweb site or sent as an email attachment to the Committee Chair.

The ASP Conservation Committee will be making the Conservation Small Grant awards early again thisyear. This decision was made to better facilitate our getting conservation grant money to the winners intime for the “summer” months - when many of these projects get underway. The 2006 deadline for submis-sion of grant proposals is 16 January. Grants will be announced in late March or early April, with fundsbecoming available in late April. Please direct any questions to: Dr. Janette Wallis, Chair, ASP Conserva-tion Committee, ABTI-American University of Nigeria; [email protected] [email protected].

AMAZON.COMEARNINGS FOR ASP

Don’t forget to use the ASPwebsite (www.asp.org) toorder from Amazon.com

Here are our latest earnings:Third quarter referral fees:

$102.25

Linda Fediganwas recentlyelected as aFellow of theRoyal Societyof Canada. Thiscitation wasread at theInductionCeremony:

A Tier 1 Canada Research Chairand leader of a team of primatologyresearchers, Linda Fedigan is aninternationally renowned scholarrecognized for three decades of

AJP’S EDITOR, LINDA FEDIGAN ELECTEDTO THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA!

contributions to the study of femaleprimate life histories, reproduction,socioecology and conservation. Shehas trained a generation of prima-tologists, many of whom are activescholars at institutions throughoutCanada and the United States.

If you would like to know moreabout Dr. Fedigan’s research andthat of her graduate students, youcan visit her website at:www.ucalgary.ca/~fedigan/fedigan.htm

The Royal Society of Canada is thenational academy dedicated to the

promotion of learning and researchin the humanities and sciences. Ifyou would like to know more aboutthe RSC, you can visit their websiteat: www.rsc.ca


STEVE GARTLAN MEMORIALSteve was born during a blackout in Chester, England, on September 4th1939, the first night of the Second World War. During his early years hewanted to be a missionary doctor in Africa, but later specialised in Psychol-ogy and Animal Behaviour, which became the path that actually led him toa live his adult life in Africa. In his early twenties he spent almost two years living alone in a tent onthe uninhabited island of Lolui in Lake Victoria, Uganda, studying thebehaviour and ecology of vervet monkeys with only the occasional hippo-potamus for company. He loved Africa from the start, and made manyfriends during his occasional sorties from the island. Upon returning to

England he met and later married Sue, who accompanied him when he returned to Africa.Professor Ronnie Hall, Steve’s supervisor at the University of Bristol in the 1960s, intended to study

rainforest primates in Cameroon, West Africa, which was new territory for students of animalbehaviour. When Ronnie died suddenly from a monkey bite Steve honoured his memory by goingahead with his research. He collaborated with a colleague, Tom Struhsaker, an old friend fromUganda with whom he had become a pioneer in the field.

Having spent many years chasing the elusive drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) in the Cameroonianrainforest, in the late 1970s, Steve began to change direction from being a primatologist to a conserva-tionist. He became active in lobbying for the protection of the rain-forest and was the driving forcebehind the creation of the Korup National Park in Cameroon during the 1980s. Korup became inter-nationally known largely after an award-winning documentary was made about it by a British film-maker, Phil Agland, and even had a visit from Prince Charles.

Steve held positions at Rockefeller University in New York and the University of Wisconsin. Duringhis time in Madison, Wisconsin, his son Sean was born in 1981. Sean spent most of his life up to theage of 18 in Cameroon and shares his father’s passion for the country and its people.

In 1990 World Wildlife Fund International appointed Steve as their Representative in Cameroon withthe aim of creating a Country Office there. The office began with Steve and one assistant and eventu-ally grew to more than forty staff in the francophone capital, Yaoundé. He was held in high regard byhis colleagues and also by officials in the relevant ministries in Cameroon. In 1999 the YaoundéSummit was held, hosted by His Excellency President Paul Biya and Prince Philip, Duke ofEdinburgh. This culminated in the Yaounde Declaration, which led to ground-breaking decisions onrainforest conservation in the Congo Basin.

At the end of December 2002 he left Central Africa to retire in Cape Town, South Africa. He wasable to spend more time indulging in his favourite hobbies, bird-watching and cooking, but was stillactive in his field and was most recently involved in discussions about the achievement of UnitedNations Millenium Goals.

Steve was highly respected around the world as a wise and thoughtful scientist and conservationist.He had great breadth of vision, and was well known for his focus on the essentials. Steve influencedmany lives and careers, both personally and professionally. He was very popular, down-to-earth andmuch-loved for his keen sense of humour. Steve will be mourned and greatly missed by his family,colleagues and friends. Through his family and friends, his legacy will live on.

A website has been established in Steve’s honor and can be accessed atwww.stevegartlan.makeswebsites.com.


THE WOOLLY LEMUR OF JOHN CLEESE: AVAHI CLEESEIUrs Thalmann, Anthropological Institute University of ZŸrich;

Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland.

Summary: Although we discoveredthe woolly lemurs in the NatureReserve of Bemaraha (Figure 1, 2)in 1990, they only received theirofficial name 15 years later, whenthey were named after the Britishcomedian, producer and screen-writer John Cleese (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000092)The Strict Nature Reserve ofBemaraha has been classified as aUNESCO World Heritage Landscape(http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/494)and for the last few years has alsobeen partly accessible for tourists.The bizarre needle-shaped limestonein particular (Figure 3) attracts manytourists. Such eroded limestones arecalled “Tsingy” in Malagasy.Cleese’s woolly lemur lives

Figure 3: Limestone needles - Tsingy in Malagasy - in the interior of theUNESCO World Heritage Landscape “Tsingy de Bemaraha”.

Photo: Urs Thalmann

Figure 2: A well disguised Cleese woolly lemur (Avahicleesei) in Bemaraha.

Photo: Urs Thalmann

Figure 1: Madagascar.

Tsingy ofBemaraha

Antananarivo

alongside at least 11 other lemur species in thisreserve - boasting an exceptionally impressive faunaand flora that still harbours many secrets.

Reported in the American Journal of Primatology Volume 67, number 3: 371-376


IntroductionIn many primates, a conspicuouschange in female morphology and/or behaviour advertises the concep-tive phase of the ovarian cycle tomales. However in some species,including the white-faced capuchin,these cues to ovulation are notobvious. Many female primatesadvertise the conceptive phase oftheir ovarian cycle to males. Thislack of cues is referred to as “con-cealed ovulation” and argued to be areproductive strategy that confusespaternity and lowers the risk ofinfanticide. It is argued that primatemales are less likely to commitinfanticide and are more likely tostay and help protect offspring whenpaternity is obscure. For mymaster’s project, I set out with two

questions about white-faced capu-chin reproductive behavior; first,which cues do males use to deter-mine the conceptive phase of thefemale ovarian cycle? Second, whatis the adaptive significance ofhaving an inconspicuous ovulatoryphase? I did this through the com-parative analyses of fecal ovarianhormone concentrations and behav-ioral observations.MethodsFrom January to June, 2002, Iresearched these questions in white-

Reproductive Behavior and Ovarian Cycles in White-facedCapuchins, Cebus capucinus

Sarah D. Carnegie – Dept of Anthropology, University of Calgary – [email protected] an ASP Small Grant in 2001.

faced capuchins in Santa RosaNational Park, Costa Rica. The park

is located in the Northwest corner ofthe country, close to the Nicaraguanboarder, and is classified as a drytropical forest. This is an extremelyseasonal environment – there is adistinct dry period (mid-December tomid-May) where there can be zeroprecipitation, and a distinct wetseason (mid-May to mid-December)when up to 4000 mm of rain can fall.I collected behavioral and fecalsamples from 10 adult females from2 groups of habituated capuchins. Icollected fecal samples from each ofthe subject females every day thatbehavioral sampling was done. Thisway I could match behavior to thecorresponding hormonal patterns.The hormone steroids that I exam-ined were estradiol (E2) and progest-erone (P). I extracted the steroids inthe field by adding water and ethanolto 0.1g of fecal mater, vigorouslymixing using a portable vortex, andthen centrifuging for 10 mins.Immediately after the field season, Itransported the 400 plus vials ofwater/ethanol/steroid mixtures to theNational Primate Research Center inMadison, Wisconsin. With theguidance of Toni E. Ziegler and herwonderful staff I was trained in thetechniques of enzyme and radioimmunoassays and I was able tocarry out the assays myself.

ResultsThe results I obtained were bothinteresting and unexpected. First,out of 10 females, four were cy-cling, three were pregnant duringpart of the study and gave birthduring the study, and three werelactating and not cycling. Thehormone profiles for the pregnantfemales clearly showed that theywere pregnant as indicated byelevated levels of E2 and P duringgestation and dropped to baselinelevels after parturition. The threenon-cycling/lactating femalesshowed no fluctuating levels ofhormones. However, two interestingsurprises resulted from the cyclingfemales. First, I found very littleevidence of proceptive behavior onthe part of the females during theperiovulatory phase of the ovariancycle. In fact, the best indicator ofthe periovulatory phase was theinsistent following and groomingsolicitations by the male towards the

female. Males also groomed femalessignificantly more during theperiovulatory compared to non-ovulatory periods. Overall, it wasapparent that the male, specificallythe alpha male, was not letting thefemale out of his sight during herperiovulatory phase. It was obviousthat the male could tell what phasethe female was in, but quantifiablechanges in female behavior did notappear to be it. What I can say at


this point is that female capuchins arenot concealing their ovulation -simply because of the reaction of themale to the female during her con-ceptive phase. However, it is stillunclear what cues male are using -there may be other behaviors I didnot measure or olfactory cues still toconsider.My second surprise from the cyclingfemales was that they all stoppedcycling mid-way through my study.All four females each cycled between1 – 2 times and then stopped cyclingfor unknown reasons – none of themhad become pregnant, they had justceased to cycle mid way through thestudy. Their hormones fluctuatedslightly, but nothing compared totheir previous ovulating levels. I havetwo hypotheses to why this may haveoccurred. First, it is possible thatfemale white-faced capuchins mateyear-round but conceive seasonally.From over 100 recorded births forwhich the birth month is known,~75% of infants were born during thedry season (Jan to May). I suspectthat conceptions are timed to occurwhen mothers have had access toabundant resources and are physi-cally healthy enough to carry adeveloping fetus. This pattern wouldthen permit infants to be weanedwhen resources are replenished in thenext wet season. A second, butrelated, hypothesis is that femaleswere physiologically stressed, which

disrupted their normal ovarianfunction. A component of the stressresponse is the release of glucocorti-coids and when chronically highlevels of cortisol remain in the blood

they may have detrimental affectson ovarian patterns. The dry seasonis an extremely stressful time forcapuchins since they must drinkwater everyday. By the end ofApril, most ground and tree holeshave dried up and the mid-daytemperature can soar to 40º Celsius.Moreover, since there are few waterholes available, there is a tendencyfor more inter-group encountersbetween capuchin groups and theseencounters can facilitate grouptakeovers by extra-group males.Some aggressive takeovers oftenlead to the deaths and disappear-ances of the youngest infants.Future Research

To test these hypotheses and toinvestigate further the behavioralcues of ovulation and femalereproductive strategies, I havecarried this project forward for myPhD dissertation work. Presently, Iam in Santa Rosa Park collectingbehavioral data and fecal sampleson the same two groups of capu-chins. In July 2006, I will includeanother group adding 5 morefemales to my study. This time I amalso collecting data from 5 year oldfemales as I would like to docu-ment ovarian cycles and behaviorpatterns when they first reachmaturity (earliest age of first birthin this population has been re-corded at 6 years). I will be analyz-ing fecal samples for cortisol alongwith ovarian hormones, and I amcollecting data on food availability.My project will extend over twoyears (May 2005 to June 2007) –covering the average inter-birthinterval of a female white-facedcapuchin.

Very little is known on thereproductive strategies used in wildCebus females, my master’s wasthe first to look at this topic in C.capucinus, and my research re-vealed some interesting insightsinto C. capucinus reproduction bothbehaviorally and physiologically,but more research is needed. I hope

that my dissertation work willprovide further information aboutfemale white-faced capuchin ovarianpatterns, seasonality, and reproduc-tive strategies in light of theirenvironmental and social pressures.

I thank the American Society ofPrimatologists who awarded me witha Small Research Grant in 2001,which was put towards for the costof the hormone analysis. I also thankSigma Xi, Dept. of Anthropologyand Faculty of Grad Studies atUniversity of Alberta. I thank L.M.Fedigan, T.E. Ziegler, J. Addicott,and G. McCabe and for their guid-ance, advice and help in the field.

F F F

WPRC LIBRARYRENAMED IN HONOR

OF LAWRENCEJACOBSEN

The Wisconsin nationalPrimate Research Center hasrenamed it library in honorof Larry Jacobsen. Thelibrary will now be known as“The Lawrence JacobsenLibrary.” Lawrence (Larry) Jacobsenwas the long-time director ofthe library at the WisconsinNational Primate ResearchCenter from the library’sinception in 1973 until hisretirement in 2003.

Photo provided by Edi Chan


The Tulane National PrimateResearch Center isn’t just surviving,it’s thriving. The center receivednotice that the National Center forResearch Resources of the NationalInstitutes of Health awarded twogrants of $4 million each for newconstruction and expansion of thecurrent breeding facility. In addition,the primate center received morethan $1.6 million to support researchtraining in experimental medicineand pathology to prepare veterinar-ians for careers in biomedicalresearch. The grant proposals weresubmitted before Hurricane Katrinahit Louisiana.

The first facility grant will fundconstruction of a facility that willhouse monkeys assigned to a varietyof research studies and state-of-the-art nursery facilities for infantmonkeys, taking into account theirunique social requirements. The newhousing and procedure areas willreplace existing square footage inthe 40-year-old facility that containsboth laboratory and animal housing.The existing animal housing spacewill be renovated eventually intolaboratory space using other funds.

The new facility will be located onthe Covington, La. campus accord-ing to the recently completed masterplan and will functionally separateanimal areas from laboratory areas,addressing security, access andbiosafety issues that currently existwith the commingling of laboratoryspaces and animal housing, says

TULANE PRIMATE CENTER THRIVES & GROWSContact: Fran Simon, [email protected], 504-858-3833,Tulane University

Andrew Lackner, director of theprimate center.

The second grant funds a plan tocreate a national nonhuman primatebreeding colony resource that willbe built on the Covington campus ofthe Tulane National Primate Re-search Center. Primates bred fromthis national resource will be used toaccommodate the increasing de-mand for these animals. Animalsfrom this breeding resource will beused for ongoing NIH-fundedresearch such as AIDS and forfuture biodefense research needsassociated with the RegionalCenters of Excellence forBiodefense and Emerging InfectiousDiseases.

PAST-PRESIDENTS, THEIR DISCIPLINEOF TERMINAL DEGREE, WHERE THEY

WORKED, AND WHAT THEIRSCIENTIFIC FOCUS IS/WAS.

Provided by Jeff French

YEAR NAME DISCIPLINE

LOCALE SCIENTIFIC

FOCUS

2006-08 Suzette Tardif Zoology Captive Repro, behav

2004-06 Steve Schapiro Psychology Captive Behav, enrich

2002-04 Jeff French Psychology Captive Behav, endo

2000-02 John Capitanio Psychology Captive Behav, immuno

1998-00 Nancy Caine Psychology Captive Behav, social

1996-98 Melinda Novak Psychology Captive Behav, models

1994-96 Joe Erwin Psychology Captive Behav, policy

1992-94 Richard Rawlins Zoology Captive Repro, ART

1990-92 Joyce Sirianni Anthopology Museum Morph, devel

1988-90 William Mason Psychology Captive Behav, social

1986-88 W. Richard Dukelow Biomed/Zool Captive Repro, endo

1984-86 Donald Lindburg Anthropology Captive/Field Behav, zoo

1982-84 Andrew Hendrickx Biomed Captive Repro, embryo

1980-82 Irwin Bernstein Psychology Captive Behav, social

1977-80 Orville Smith Psychology(?) Captive Behav, physiol

Improvements to land currentlyowned by Tulane University willinclude utilities, roadways, drainage,security, and fencing. In addition tocorral housing for animals, buildingswill be constructed for staging andquarantine of animals as they arereceived from or shipped to otherfacilities.


Environmental Education as a Tool for Conservation of theGolden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) and the Atlantic Forest in Brazil

Patricia Mie Matsuo, Golden Lion Tamarin Association, Caixa Postal 109.968, Casimiro de Abreu – RJ,Cep 28.860-970. Brazil, www.micoleao.org.br, [email protected]

The Atlantic Forest of Brazil is one ofthe richest and most diverse forestsystems on Earth, it is also one of themost threatened. Today less than 8% ofthe original forest remains. Among thecountless species affected by habitatfragmentation is the golden lion tama-rin (Leontopithecus rosalia), a primateendemic to the coastal lowland AtlanticForest of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.The species range is restricted to forestremnants in only 7 municipalities: SilvaJardim, Casimiro de Abreu, Rio Bonito,Rio das Ostras, Saquarema, Cabo Frioand Armação dos Búzios (Figure 1)(Kierulff & Rylands, 2003). Theeconomy of these municipalities isbased on agriculture, livestock, com-merce, and tourism. There is a humanpopulation of 327,000 living in a totalarea of 2.916,631 km2 (IBGE, 2000). The Golden Lion Tamarin Associa-tion (AMLD), a Brazilian organization,coordinates a multidisciplinary programto conserve a viable population ofgolden lion tamarins in their natural

habitat. Community involvementand support are essential forsuccessful implementation ofAMLD’s conservation strategy. Weuse environmental education as anapproach to stimulate and preparethe local population to becomemore aware and active in aspectsof forest conservation. Since 1983, the EducationProgram has developed activitieswith the local communities ofSilva Jardim and Casimiro deAbreu (municipalities neighboringthe Poco das Antas BiologicalReserve) targeting students,teachers, farmers and communityleaders (Dietz, 1998). The goal ofthis research is to increase theinvolvement of human communi-ties within the entire area ofoccurrence of golden lion tamarinsand in the conservation of thespecies and the Atlantic Foresthabitat. The numbers of schools re-questing to visit the new EducationCenter at Poco das Antas Biologi-cal Reserve has increased this year

and now we receive schools twicea week instead of once. Duringvisits, students see a slide presenta-tion on the Atlantic Forest, tour theexhibition area where they can seeand touch real examples of localflora and fauna, and walk on theInterpretative Trail (Figure 2).Approximately 677 students from19 schools visited the EducationCenter from September 2003 toAugust 2004. These schools arelocated within six municipalities ofthe golden lion tamarin range. Two materials were produced tosupport education activities withlocal teachers: 1) brochures aboutthe Education Center, AtlanticForest, Poco das Antas BiologicalReserve, golden lion tamarin andsuggestions of activities to conductin classes; and 2) posters withgolden lion tamarin photographyand games for children.The AMLD organized the FirstEnvironmental Education Work-shop in Silva Jardim municipality.The workshop had two seminarsabout Environmental Education

Golden lion tamarinPhoto by Luciano Candisani

Continued on Page 10

Figure 1. Map of Brazil showing the distribution area of golden lion tamarin within theState of Rio de Janeiro.


and Conservation of theAtlantic Forest. Thirtyposters were presented byeducators that are imple-menting environmentaleducation activities, and sixshort courses were imple-mented by local teachers.The attendance was 180educators from 60institutions includingschools, local NGOs, andPublic Departments of the sevenmunicipalities within the area ofoccurrence of the golden liontamarin. It was an excellent opportu-nity for educators to share theirexperiences and learn more aboutthe conservation of the AtlanticForest and the golden lion tamarin. The AMLD education team hasbeen participating in the EducationNetwork of São João RiverWatershed, which was establishedamong institutions in themunicipalities of the golden liontamarin area of occurrence. Duringthese meetings we discuss ourresults, difficulties and futureprojects as well as plan activitiestogether. It has been an excellentway to confer with otherorganizations about the importanceof conserving the Atlantic Forest andthe golden lion tamarin and how wecan better use available resources(human, financial, time) toimplement our activities together. Aspot for television was alreadyproduced to show how hunters couldaffect the conservation of theAtlantic Forest and the connectionswith people’s lives. To ensure the long-term successof the project it is necessary tocontinue to expand educationalactivities to all the municipalities ofthe current golden lion tamarin areaof occurrence. The partnership withthe São João River Watershed hasshown excellent results thus far.The AMLD educational team willalso use the new facilities of theEducation Center at Poco das AntasBiological Reserve to promote moreworkshops with the educators fromthe 7 municipalities of the golden

lion tamarin area of occurrence. Wewill invite researchers that arestudying in the local forest to makepresentations of their findings aboutthe Atlantic Forest and golden liontamarin and to conduct fieldactivities at the Interpretative Trailon flora, fauna, soil and water.KIERULFF, M.C.M. & RYLANDS,A.B. (2003) Census and Distributionof the Golden Lion Tamarin(Leontopithecus rosalia). AmericanJournal of Primatology, 59, p.29-44.

AcknowledgmentsI would like to thank the localcommunity that has been participat-ing in AMLD education activitiesand the institutions that have sup-ported the Education Program:American Society of Primatologists,Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund,Copenhagen Zoo, WWF-Brazil,Lion Tamarins of Brazil Fund andthe Environmental Department ofSilva Jardim Municipality.

ReferencesDIETZ, L.A.H. (1998) Communityconservation education program forthe golden lion tamarin in Brazil:building support for habitat conser-vation. In: HOAGE, R.J.; MORAN,K. (Eds.) Culture: the missingelement in conservation and devel-opment. Washington, DC: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., NationalZoological Park, SmithsonianInstitution. P.85-94.

IBGE (2000) Censo demográfico2000: primeiros resultados daamostra, www.ibge.gov.br.

Continued from Page 9

Figure 2. Teacher Cristiane Wenderosk and her studentsvisiting the Interpretative Trail.

COMMENSALISMAND CONFLICT: THE

HUMAN-PRIMATEINTERFACE

Special Topics in Primatology, Vol. 4Edited by, James D. Paterson

and Janette WallisAmerican Society of Primatologists

FROM THE PUBLISHERHuman and nonhuman primates

have had a long and intimateevolutionary relationship. Thisrelationship is fascinating, complex,and often antagonistic. The mostfrequent conflicts are betweenhumans and terrestrial primatespecies that fall into the commensalcategory. These species tend towarda nutritional reliance upon foodssimilar to those preferred byhumans. Adding to the problem, theagricultural revolution resulted inhumans transforming large areas ofprimate habitat for agricultural orhorticultural use, thus restricting theland area available to free-rangingprimate populations. Naturally,cereal grains and vegetable crops arevery attractive to wild primates; theyprovide high levels of caloric inputcombined with low levels of toxicity.Consequently, increased conflict hasbecome a normal component of thehuman-primate interface. In fact,many nonhuman primate species arewell known for their crop-raidingexpertise, as depicted in the 1885wood carving on the front cover ofthis book. In the modern world, 120years after this engraving was firstprinted, non-human primatescontinue to have conflicts with theirhuman neighbors. This volumeexplores those conflicts and offerssolutions to mitigate the growingproblems.

ABOUT THE EDITORSJames Paterson, Ph.D.Emeritus, AnthropologyUniversity of Calgary

Janette Wallis, Ph.D.Psychology, Zoology and

AnthropologyUniversity of OklahomaSeries Editor, American Society

of PrimatologistsE E E


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For the first time ever, scientistshave observed and photographedwild gorillas using tools, in oneinstance employing a stick to testthe depth of a pool before wadinginto it, according to a study by theBronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conser-vation Society (WCS) and otherorganizations. Up to this point, allother species of great apes, includ-ing chimpanzees and orangutans,have been observed using tools inthe wild, but never gorillas.

“This is a truly astounding discov-ery,” said Thomas Breuer of theWildlife Conservation Society.“Tool usage in wild apes provides uswith valuable insights into theevolution of our own species and theabilities of other species. Seeing itfor the first time in gorillas isimportant on many different levels.”

According to the study publishedin the open access journal PLoSBiology, on two separate occasionsin the northern rain forests of theRepublic of Congo, researchersobserved and photographed indi-vidual western gorillas using sticksas tools. The observations weremade in Mbeli Bai—a swampyclearing located in Nouabal -NdokiNational Park where monitoring hasbeen ongoing since February 1995.The first instance occurred when afemale gorilla nicknamed Leah byscientists attempted to wade througha pool of water created by el-ephants, but found herself waistdeep after only a few steps. Climb-ing out of the pool, Leah thenretrieved a straight branch from anearby dead tree and used it to testthe depth of the water. Keeping her

PHOTOS REVEAL FIRST TOOL USAGE IN WILD GORILLASupper body abovewater, she movedsome 10 meters outinto the pool beforereturning to shoreand her wailinginfant.Then another female

gorilla named Efiused a detached trunkto support herselfwith one hand whiledigging for herbs

with the other. As she moved fromlocation to location, she used thestick for one last job, a bridge over amuddy patch of ground.

In the past, gorillas have beenobserved using tools in zoos, but notin the wild. And, while most otherobserved instances of tool-usage ingreat apes are related directly toprocessing food (i.e. the cracking ofnuts with rocks or extractingtermites with long sticks), these twoexamples of using tools for posturalsupport were triggered by otherenvironmental factors.

The Wildlife Conservation Societyhas been studying gorillas and otherwildlife in the Republic of Congosince the 1980s. In 1993, the Congo-lese Government, working in

tandem with technical assistancefrom WCS, established Nouabal -Ndoki National Park. The Mbeli Baisite is being managed to meet long-term gorilla research andecotourism objectives.

“These protected areas are not onlyimportant for the conservation ofspecies they contain, they also holdthe key to comparing our owndevelopment as a species with ournext of kin,” added Breuer. “Placeslike Nouabal -Ndoki, and the nearbyGoualougo Triangle, are placeswhere we see the processunfolding before our very eyes.”

The Mbeli study appears in PLoSBiology, a peer-reviewed, highlycited journal published by thePublic Library of Science (PLoS), anon-profit organization committed tothe goals of open access, makingscientific and medical studiesavailable. This study is immediatelyavailable online on the PLoSwebsite without cost to anyone,anywhere to read, download, redis-tribute, include in databases, andotherwise use—subject only to thecondition that the authors and sourceare properly cited. http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/514966/#imagetop

Zuliyat Muhammed and Zunzika Thole read one of many issuesof the American Journal of Primatology recently donated by theAmerican Society of Primatologists. The young women aremembers of the first class (ever) of the newly established ABTI-

AmericanUniversity ofNigeria(AAUN).AAUN was a2005 recipientof the ASPConservationCommittee’sAJPSubscriptionAward. -Janette Wallis,AAUNFaculty.


McMaster prof says King Kong livedSPECIAL TO THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR.

More than three metres tall and 550 kilogramsBy Daniel Nolan, The Hamilton Spectator (Dec 20, 2005)

Move over King Kong.A giant ape that roamedAsia in prehistoric timeshas been found to haveactually lived alongsideearly man.

A McMaster Universityprofessor has concludedafter a four-year studythat Gigantopithecusblackii — the largestprimate that ever lived— roamed southeastChina between 300,000and one million yearsago.A Dutch paleontologistbegan research into thegiant ape in 1935 after hefound ancient yellowishmolars on sale formedicinal purposes in aHong Kong pharmacy.The species was identi-fied as Gigantopithecus blackiiin 1953.It was a herbivore, feastingmainly on bamboo. It is theo-rized it became extinct becauseit came into conflict with man orother animals, such as giantpandas, that lived on bamboo.

This was during the Pleis-tocene period, by which timehumans had already existed forabout a million years.

The period ended about 10,000years ago after the last ice age.Although scientists and arche-ologists have known for decadesof the existence of the ape —believed to have been over threemetres tall and to have weighed

McMaster’s Jack Rink says Gigantopithecus lived more than 300,000 years ago

about 550 kilograms, it tookMcMaster geography and earthsciences professor Jack Rink to datethe era of the ape.By comparison, a modern gorilla canstand 1.7 metres. Males can weighbetween 140-180 kilograms andfemales can weigh 70-110 kilograms.“I feel great,” said Rink, who hasbeen at McMaster 13 years and hasbeen involved in dating the era ofother celebrated prehistoric beingssuch as dwarf humans (nicknamedhobbits by the press) last year ineastern Indonesia.

“It’s been a really fantastic studyand I had lots of wonderful experi-ences.” And dating the prehistoricKing Kong-type may take the 50-

year-old professorbeyond the scientificworld to Hollywood. Itis very preliminary, butthe university has hadinquiries from theproducers of the newKing Kong movieabout including Rink’sfindings aboutGigantopithecusblackii in the DVDrelease of the film.The study began in2000 when some teethfragments werecollected in five cavesin Guangxi province,China, which is justnorth of Vietnam.It ended earlier thisyear after Rink wasable to date the frag-ments using a high-precision absolute-

dating method.The techniques involved analysisof electrons and their motion anda dating process using uranium.“A missing piece of the puzzlehas always focused on pinpoint-ing when Gigantopithecusexisted,” said Rink, who wasassisted in his research bycolleagues in China and theUnited States and a lab assistantin Hamilton.“This is a primate that co-existedwith humans at a time whenhumans were undergoing a majorevolutionary change. Guangxiprovince ... is the same regionwhere some believe the modernhuman race originated.”


March 2006RNAi WORKSHOP (219)Date: March 6, 2006 - March 9,2006Location: Penn StateFocus: Description Hands-onbiotech workshop on RNA Interfer-ence (RNAi) Species Avian, Bovine,Camelids, Canine, Equine, Exotics,Feline, Fish, Lagomorph, Porcine,Primate, Reptile/Amphibian, Ro-dent, Small Ruminant, Zoo SpeciesContact: Dr. Robert Farrell, Work-shop Coordinator Exon-IntronBiotech P.O. Box 395, Loganville,PA, Tel: 800-407-6546, Email: http://www.ivis.org/calendar/cal_email.asp?eventID=3294Web site: http://www.dnatech.com/

May 2006CAPTIVE BREEDING ANDREINTRODUCTION OFNATIVE SPECIES (220)Date: May 9, 2006; Location:Institute of Zoology, ZoologicalSociety of London, Regent’s ParkSponsor: Dutch Society for WildlifeHealth; Focus: Description Captivebreeding and reintroduction ofnative species Captive breeding andreintroduction of native species hasbeen taking place in Britain forcenturies, and in recent years thistechnique has frequently been usedas part of targeted conservationprogrammes to strengthen or re-establish populations of endangerednative species. But how successfulhas this approach been? This meet-ing will address the followingissues: What are the benefits ofcaptive breeding and reintroducingnative species? What are the costs,and are they justified? Is theresufficient post-release data to judgewhether captive-breedingprogrammes have been successful?How and when should we assesswhether or not a population ofreleased animals is self-sustaining inthe long term? Which species (orgroups of species) are best suited tocaptive breeding and reintroduction?

2006 - MEETINGS, LECTURES & WORKSHOPSWhat are the problems frequentlyencountered with captive breedingand releasing animals into the wild,and are these easily overcome?Should captive breeding and reintro-duction, or translocation, continue tobe used as key methods for deliver-ing conservation targets in thefuture? Organised by Emily Funnell,UK Conservation ProgrammeManager, ZSL. Species Exotics, ZooSpeciesContact: Deborah Body, Regent’sPark, NW1 4RY, London, UK,Email: http://www.ivis.org/calendar/cal_email.asp?eventID=3571Web site: http://www.ivis.org/calendar/cal_email.asp?eventID=3571

June 2006SOCIETY FOR BEHAVIORALNEUROENDOCRINOLOGY and6TH INTERNATIONALCONGRESS OF NEUROENDO-CRINOLOGYDate: June 19, 2006 - June 22, 2006Location: Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaU.S.A., Pittsburgh, PA USA, June2006The International Congress ofNeuroendocrinology (ICN) is heldin a different part of the world every4 (four) years under the auspices ofthe International NeuroendocrineFederation (INF)(www.isneuro.org), and of one of themember societies of the INF. ICNwill be held in North America forthe first time in over a decade andthe American NeuroendocrineSociety (ANS) will be the hostsociety.

TWENTY-FIRST CONGRESSOF THE INTERNATIONALPRIMATOLOGICAL SOCIETY(IPS) (208)Date: June 25, 2006 - June 30, 2006Location: Entebbe, Uganda, EastAfrica; Sponsor: InternationalPrimatological Society; Focus: IPSis a multidisciplinary association ofapproximately 1000 professionals

and students whose work is focusedon nonhuman primates. In recentyears, our biennial Congresses haveattracted between 400 and 1600registrants. Our members includeveterinarians, geneticists, psycholo-gists, physicians, neuroscientists,anthropologists, zoologists, conser-vation biologists, ethologists, zooprofessionals, technical personnel,and field assistants mainly fromuniversities, NGOs, zoologicalgardens, field stations, sanctuaries,and research facilities throughoutthe world.Registration: http://www.ips2006uganda.org/registration.htmContact: Steve Schapiro, Ph.D,International Primatological Society,650 Cool Water Dr., Bastrop, TX,Tel: 512-321-3991, Fax: 512-332-5208, Email:[email protected] site: http://www.ips2006uganda.org


NEW FEATURESFOR PRIMATE-

JOBSJob seekers and potential

employers now have access toseveral new features onPrimate-Jobs, our online listingservice for primate-related jobsand other opportunities.Employers can now register auser account with Primate-Jobs,allowing them to savefrequently used contactinformation, edit job listings,and delete job listings that havebeen filled. Site visitors alsohave more options for viewinglistings and can sort jobpostings in a number ofdifferent ways.

New listings for PositionsAvailable are now available viaRSS feed at http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/rss/jobs.xml. Simply copy the URLinto your favorite newsaggregrator or RSS-supportingweb browser.

Check out the new Primate-Jobs at http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/jobs.

The New York Blood Center’schimpanzee research facility (VilabII) in Liberia is now scheduled tobecome a dedicated full timeSanctuary. This facility was alwaysdedicated to the humanecare of the chimpanzees whocontributed so much to developmentof virus free blood derivatives andvaccines. Chimpanzees werealways held in social groups inoutdoor enclosures with extensiveenrichment. Now, all research hasbeen terminated.

The New York Blood Center(NYBC) is seeking a foundation anda primatologist dedicated to thegoals of chimpanzee welfare,conservation, and conservationeducation to undertake long termresponsibility for management of theSanctuary. NYBC recognizesits responsibility to provide anendowment to fund the Sanctuaryfor the lifetime care of the chimpan-zees.

Liberia is now peaceful. 15000UN peacekeepers are in residenceand free elections were held inOctober of this year. These resultedin the election of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, a highly experienced andrespected leader, as Liberia’s nextPresident.

Vilab II has a highly experiencedstaff of chimpanzee caregiverswho are strongly dedicated to thewelfare of the animals. Wehave 80 chimps, all of which live insocial groups. We presently have 6islands of 10-30 acres in a nearbyriver suitable for housing releasedgroups.

We built a large re-socializationfacility with 5 interconnecting12 X 12 X 12 foot cages which openonto a 1/2 acre 30 foot highclimbing and play area. This hasproven to be invaluable forthe socialization of groups destinedfor release onto the 6 islands

LEADERSHIP SOUGHT FOR CHIMPANZEESANCTUARY IN LIBERIA

which will be home to the animals inthe Sanctuary. Presentlywe have 33 animals released ontothree islands, and have a groupof 15 who have been re-socialized,and are scheduled for releasethis month. Two additional groupsare in the process of resocializationand are scheduled for release inApril and November of 2006.

The infrastructure for developmentof a model sanctuary is outstanding.The islands are in a nearby riverestuary which is barely populatedwith people, yet is close enough toMonrovia to serve as a conservationeducation resource. The LiberianInstitute of Biomedical Research(LIBR), where Vilab II is presentlylocated, has a conferencecenter for which we providedaudiovisual equipment for conserva-tion education purposes. We expectthat the Sanctuary will continueto rent staff housing, kitchen andfood storage facilities and,until all of the animals have beenreleased, a work shop forcage construction and repair ofchimp holding facilities fromLIBR. We have 2 boats and 4outboard motors, 4 vehicles, radio-telemetry equipment, tranquilizationequipment and supplies, computersand satellite telephone equipmentproviding telephone, E-mailand internet connection, and 2generators. These would be trans-ferred to the Sanctuary when weleave. A fine 3 bedroom house willbe available to house the director ofthe Sanctuary.

The Blood Center is looking for adedicated primatologist whowould welcome the opportunity todirect such a Sanctuary. Thedirector would, however, need asponsoring institution or foundationto assume long term responsibilityand fiscal oversight.

I look forward to hearing fromprimatologists, and/or foundations,

interested in this opportunity.Leading candidates will be invitedto visit the Sanctuary site in Liberia,and then to New York to negotiatean agreement with the Blood Center.

With all best wishes,Alfred M. Prince MDThe New York Blood Center310 East 67th St.NY 10021 NYPhone: 212-570-3279FAX: 212-570-3180Email: [email protected]


Evan Zucker, Ph.D.AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PRIMATOLOGISTSDepartment of PsychologyLoyola UniversityNew Orleans, LA [email protected]

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