The process of observing a primate can take on many shapes and forms. Prior to beginning my observation, I was not sure what approach I would take because I didn’t know what animals and in what order I would be able to observe these animals. Once I reached the facility, however, I realized that ab-lib sampling would be the most effective approach for me because the monkeys were spread out and it was difficult to consistently observe one group of these together. Similarly, I did not think focal sampling would be effective in this instance, because such an observation, I believed, would be better to carry out over a period of time that lasted longer than 100 minutes.
The first interaction between the monkeys occurred between two monkeys that appeared to be playing or even fighting. I began my observational experiencing by observing one monkey sitting close to an enclosed pond area. This monkey was looking down at the water and then another monkey ran behind this monkey and nudged it aggressively. Through nudging it aggressively the other monkey turned around and ran after this monkey and the two began wrestling on the ground together. It was a very startling observation at first for me because the two were being very aggressive together. I thought that their playing may have had something to do with them actually fighting. However, as their wrestling continued, it made me consider that they were not fighting but engaging in a sort of play behavior. I tried to consider if there were any deeper things that motivated this fighting, such as attempting to prove themselves for a mate or to establish dominance. While these considerations may have occurred, I think the most prominent such reason was that the two monkeys were merely attempting to burn energy from being captivated and such aggressive fighting was a means to do so.
The next thing I observed was one monkey playing with a rope. In this instance, the monkey walked along a tree branch and then grabbed the rope hanging near by and walked to the ground. The monkey then took the rope and hung upside down from it, rocking back and forth. This behavior, similar to the wrestling that occurred between the other monkeys appeared to be a means of stimulation in captivity. Similarly, it made me consider that the monkey was attempting to mirror some of the same forms of activities that occurred in the wild through using the rope as a tool. During the time this monkey was playing with the rope, I observed other monkeys sitting in a tree looking down below. Although there were no weather issues, it seemed to me like this monkeys instinctually felt more comfortable sitting in the tree than being down on the floor.
In all, my experience observing these ring-tailed lemurs was highly enlightening. I came to believe that despite them being captivity that they exhibit many behaviors that are similar to how they would interact in the wild. This made me think about evolutionary elements and animal instinct, in that I came to believe that a substantial amount of animal behavior is something that has been conditioned into these animals and that this behavior is not merely exhibited because of their true need to do this in that instant to survive. It all made me consider if monkeys who breed in captivity will increasingly begin taking on different evolutionary behaviors.
Works Cited
"Ring-Tailed Lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemur Pictures, Ring-Tailed Lemur Facts - National
Geographic". National Geographic. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
"What's A Lemur?". Cabrillo.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 7 Apr. 2016.
