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ORANGUTAN.
Term Paper ID:23987
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Essay Subject:
Adaptation, coloring, threats to, tool use, solitariness, breeding, conservation efforts.... More...
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6 Pages / 1350 Words
5 sources, 14 Citations,
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Paper Abstract:
Adaptation, coloring, threats to, tool use, solitariness, breeding, conservation efforts.
Paper Introduction:
The orangutan has been studied in its natural environment since 1712 when the Englishman Captain Daniel Beekman visited South Borneo. In 1776, the first orangutans reached Europe. They had been brought to Amsterdam for the natural science collection of Prince William V, and soon more followed. Studying the orangutan in its natural environment has not been easy however, because the "red ape" is the most solitary and elusive of the primates.
As late as the early 1960s, Tom Harisson, curator of the Sarawak Museum, first pointed out the sorry predicament of the orangutans (they were being shot and sold as museum specimens). Even by this time, next to nothing was known about their private lives. In terms of primary research, it is only since the great field studies initiated in Borneo and Sumatra by such inspired
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McKinnon reported that "clouded leopards are agile climbers,and pursue young orangutans. But, [as Van Shraik reports], "the most common use is when [the orangutans] go for honey. 1 5). 184).Maple goes on to state, "Nature isn't making Sumatran-Bornean crosses[hybrids]--why should we?" (Raloff, 1995, p. Not only does this behavior indicate intention, butit indicates a selfishness which is only too human in nature. As for the infantsbeing bright orange, perhaps this is an identifying marking so that parentsdo not lose sight of their vulnerable offspring. Then hestayed with this animal wherever it went, even sleeping in the wild whenthe ape slept, and following it the next day. In terms of primary research,it is only since the great field studies initiated in Borneo and Sumatra bysuch inspired scientists as John McKinnon, Peter Rodman, David Horr, andHerman Rijksen that we have learned a good deal more about theenvironmental conditions and behavior of the orangutan, or "forest man." McKinnon's research was based on the premise that if he were to learnabout the orangutan, he must live as an orangutan himself. They had been brought to Amsterdamfor the natural science collection of Prince William V, and soon morefollowed. As Grzimek's encyclopedia of mammals states, "the red coat ofthe orangutan blends completely with the merging green and brown shades ofthe forest" (p. 186). 47) In a similar vein, Herman Rijksen tells how a young orangutan floatedrom one tree to another on a liana. Her first-handobservations reveal two striking features about the orangutan: (1.) theorangutan is virtually undetectable in its arboreal habitat unless it movesabout; and (2.) the orangutan only rarely betrays its nature as one of thegreat apes in terms of displaying social interaction--at one point uponwitnessing two males' play-fighting and wrestling, the author remindsherself, "Orangutans are great apes after all!" (Galdikas, 1994, p. At the same time however,the bright orange coloration would seem to make them more susceptible topredators. Holding on to a tree trunk with its arms and legs, the orangutan rams the stick into a hole containing a termite nest. Today we believe thatthere are still more than 15 , orangutans living in the wild" (p. Studying the orangutan in its natural environment has not beeneasy however, because the "red ape" is the most solitary and elusive of theprimates. Raloff's (1995) article points out that, on purely practicalgrounds, "Biologists avoid crossbreeding because zoo animals are intendedto represent their wild brethren, and hybrids 'don't have any biologicalmeaning [according to Atlanta zoo director Terry Maple, himself anorangutan researcher]--They're a man-made creation'" (p. The orangutan's chief enemiesinclude the lurking tiger and the red dogs (to be found on Sumatra but noton Borneo). Science News, 326.Galdikas, B.M.F. Caste-off orangs. Clearly, the orangutan has benefitted humans much more thanit has benefitted from contact with those who would interfere with itsnatural habitat. Orangutans are an endangered species, and poaching continues to be aproblem. The American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AZA)adopted a policy 1 years ago to stop interbreeding Sumatran and Borneanorangutans. As the above researchattests, orangutan studies have demonstrated that species will geneticallyadapt themselves to specific geographic niches. McKinnon'sprocedure was to search the forest until he met an orangutan. As Grzimek's (199 ) encyclopediareports, "The only safe orangutans are the roughly 2 , individualsliving in national parks and protected areas ... 4 9). Like all apes, orangutans are adept at using tools, and their use ofsticks to gain access to honey in the recesses of trees is well documented. 326). Thedifference in coloration can probably be explained by the two differentlocales found in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. It then flicks out the broken-up chunks--full of delectable larvae and pupae--and eats them. Because 85% of the orangutanpopulation is located within Indonesia, the world scientific community islargely at the mercy of this region's own attempts to protect the old manof the forest. (1994, December). 418).The impact of humans on orangutans and their environment has been damagingfor the most part, but conservation efforts continually offset furtherdamage that might otherwise be done. In her book, she emphasizes that an understandingof orangutan behavior requires "passionate observation, as well as harddata, empathy as well as empiricism ... Discover, 46-47.----------------------- 6 (1995, November). Seuanez'studies of the genetic differences between Borneo and Sumatra orangutans.Seuanez and his coworkers published data in 1976 which demonstrated a cleardifference between Sumatram and Bornean orangutans--"an inversion, orconsistent rearrangement of genetic material, in a region of chromosome 2.[Seuanez] interpreted the inversion as suggesting that orangutans on thetwo islands represent distinct subspecies 'that had evolved over at least1, generations of separation'" (Raloff, 1995, p. As Grzimek's (199 ) encyclopediareports, "Arriving at its goal, it carefully tied the liana up, instead ofletting it swing back, thereby frustrating the efforts of another animal tofollow it" (p. What was known, from 19thcentury naturalists, only intensified the mystery. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species andthe Primate Protection League try to protect orangutans from illegalsmuggling, but the practice continues. Alfred Russel Wallaceand others reported that these giant red apes, deep in the forests ofBorneo and northern Sumatra, lived solitary lives, rarely meeting withothers of their kind" (Galdikas, 1994, p. 1 ). Van Schaik's research took him into the Suak Balimbing swamp inSumatra, a locale known for the presence of malaria, dengue fever, typhoid,and thigh-high muck. They put a stick in and poke through some nest wall and move it around and catch the honey, pull it out, turn it around and stick the other end in their mouth, and then go back in." If the stick is too long to use comfortably, they snap off one end." (Zimmer, 1995, p. McKinnon found that "the coloring of the[orangutan's] sparse fur ranges from brilliant orange in juveniles to darkchestnut or chocolate in adults, the animals of Borneo being consistentlydarker in color than those on Sumatra" (Grzimek, 199 , p. ReferencesAdler, T. Using this approach, hebegan to make some sense of the daily campaigns of the animals. Science News, 184-186.Zimmer, C. In terms of behavior, theelusiveness and solitary nature of both Bornean and Sumatran orangutansproves that these characteristics are not environment-specific. McKinnon found that although orangutans live primarily in the trees,they still have ground-dwelling predators. (1995, May 27). 184). Her book of fieldobservations, Reflections of Eden: My Years with the Orangutans of Borneo,was published in 1994. As late as the early 196 s, Tom Harisson, curator of the SarawakMuseum, first pointed out the sorry predicament of the orangutans (theywere being shot and sold as museum specimens). (1995, March 25). Large pythons may also catch young orangutansif they venture out on the forest floor, where they are also liable toattack by blood-sucking leeches" (Grzimek, 199 , p. 4 4). Another interesting aspect to the orangutan's environmentaladaptation emerges as the result of Brazilian researcher Hector N. 4 2). Galdikas is another important orangutan researcher whosefirst-hand observations (with her husband Rod), have shown us thatorangutans are among our closest living relatives. In terms of physical adaptation of the orangutan to its environment,the above two observations indicate a favorable adaptation to long-termsurvival, as the orangutan remains elusive to predators--including thosewily scientists who attempt to enter their private world. The orangutan has been studied in its natural environment since 1712when the Englishman Captain Daniel Beekman visited South Borneo. For Van Schaik and his assistant, every day was anexercise in utter exhaustion--however, there were as many as 2 orangutansper square mile--enough of an incentive to keep him and his assistantplowing through the muck as the orangutans glided effortlessly through thetrees above. Lineage of Y chromosome boosts Eve theory. Even by this time, next tonothing was known about their private lives. As Ibrahim [Van Schaik'sassistant] reports, Sometimes [an orangutan] will break off a branch about a foot long, snap off the twigs, fray one end, and put the other end in its mouth. Carel Van Schaik, a primatologist at Duke University, conductedresearch on the orangutan in its natural habitat, in a fashion similar toMcKinnon. However, in 1994, with the aid of a boardwalk through theswamp's muck, Van Schaik and his coworkers quickly discovered that the Suaqorangutans used tools for a number of purposes. McKinnonverified that, unlike the other great anthropoid apes--the chimpanzee andgorilla--orangutans are by nature solitary. Birute M.F. Tooling through the trees. In 1776,the first orangutans reached Europe. Tool use among orangutans is significant because past researchers hadbelieved that the ability to make and use tools was something that onlyemerged in our chimp-like ancestors. In other words, theorangutan was an ape that "could not be studied." What Jane Goodall was to chimpanzees, and what Dian Fossey was tomountain gorillas, Birute Galdikas was to orangutans. understanding orangutans gives us aclouded, partial glimpse into what we were before we became fully human"(Galdikas, 1994, p. New York: McGraw- Hill.Raloff, J. As mentioned above, tool use by wild orangutans has not been widelywitnessed. [as recent as] roughly 27 , years ago"(Adler, 1995, p. Genetic research on orangutans (along with chimpanzees and gorillas)leads scientists to the conclusion that "modern humans may originate from asingle, recent population ... In terms of evolutionary adaptation, they are protected by theircoloration. The above observations stem from Birute and Rod's fieldwork in Borneobeginning in 1971, when much of Borneo was still isolated and pristine.The author emphasizes the solitary, reclusive, and elusive nature oforangutans, and thus the scarcity of scientific data about them:"Virtually nothing was known about [orangutans], even though data on theAfrican apes were pouring in during the 196 s. As humankind's closest links to a common ancestor(along with chimps and gorillas), orangutans are providing the geneticproof needed to help pinpoint the date of our split into a separatespecies. Waiting for orangutans.Discover, 1 -1 7.Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals (199 ). The Suaq orangutans also use sticks to scare out ants from tree colonies. Such geneticdifferences are always significant because they demonstrate Darwin's theoryof selective adaptation in action, truly an evolutionary force. 1 7). 4 2).
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