| Primates are a category of mammals that
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| | light coloured with a black face; males
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| include humans, apes, lemurs and monkeys.
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| | have a pale blue scrotum. This monkey
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| Covering over 185 species, they range
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| | weighs between 5 and 9kg. The vervet is
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| from lemurs -with hardly any resemblance
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| | adapted to practically all woodland
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| to humans- to chimpanzees, which are
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| | habitats, outside equatorial rain
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| clearly our own kin. In size, they range
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| | forests. It does not venture very far
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| from the tiny 60 g bush baby to the huge
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| | from the safety of trees, on which it
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| 200 kg gorilla. Primates are
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| | also depends for food. You will commonly
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| characterized by a complex brain, good
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| | find it on forest edges and is typically
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| binocular vision and means of grasping.
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| | associated with riverine vegetation and
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| In addition, they experience long periods
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| | acacia trees. These monkeys are very
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| in the womb, followed by slow maturation
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| | friendly to people and almost serve as de
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| and elongated lifespan.Africa has the
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| | facto receptionists in most national
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| privilege of hosting 51 primate species
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| | parks.When a vertet hops onto your car as
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| in habitats varying from forests to
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| | you arrive at park gate, it is looking
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| savannah woodlands. And new primate
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| | after its own interests. Humans like to
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| species are still being discovered. One
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| | feed monkeys and it hopes to save the
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| of the latest additions is the highland
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| | lots of energy and the risk involved in
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| mangabey monkey, whose domicile is the
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| | natural foraging in the bush. However, it
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| Udzungwa Mountains of southern
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| | is illegal to feed monkeys or any
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| Tanzania.Scientists were delighted, but
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| | wildlife in all parks in East Africa.
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| nevertheless puzzled when they reported
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| | Also be warned- these monkeys can bite if
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| the finding in May 2005; "This exciting
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| | scared. Their teeth and claws can inflict
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| discovery demonstrates once again how
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| | serious injuries and you should therefore
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| little we know about our closest living
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| | avoid close bodily contact.Vervet monkeys
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| relatives, the nonhuman primates. A
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| | are omnivorous and consume a wide range
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| large, striking monkey in a country of
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| | of plant materials like fruits, seeds,
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| considerable wildlife research over the
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| | sap, and flowers. They also feed on
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| last century has been hidden right under
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| | invertebrates and have sometimes balance
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| our noses," said Russell Mittermeier of
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| | the vegetarian fare with vertebrates such
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| the IUCN-The World Conservation Union's
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| | as lizards and nestling birds and their
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| Species Survival Commission.Sensing our
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| | eggs. They are often found in the same
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| fascination with nonhuman primates,
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| | areas as baboons with which they share
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| artists have in response created
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| | many foods, water holes and sleeping
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| fictional characters that have turned out
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| | trees. The baboon is however not good
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| to be immensely popular. The most
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| | company for vervets; it is without mercy
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| successful of this genre is the story of
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| | for its smaller relative. When they
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| "Tarzan of the Apes". This romance
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| | compete for food, vervets are supplanted
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| features an orphaned English lord who was
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| | and baboons will occasionally feed on
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| adopted by a female ape and brought up in
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| | young vervets.Vervet monkeys are
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| the African jungle. The writer Edgar Rice
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| | territorial and live in troops of between
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| Burroughs brought Tarzan-one of the
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| | 8-50 members. Their troops are organized
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| best-known literary characters, to life
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| | in a hierarchy of families whose members
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| in 1921.Tarzan, an ape-man character has
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| | sleep, forage and rest together. Males
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| over the years generated over 40 movies,
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| | move out as they reach maturity at about
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| and numerous radio shows, television
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| | the age of 5 years, while females remain
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| programmes and comic books. Primate
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| | in a female-bonded society. They pass on
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| characters reflect mans complex nature
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| | hereditary privileges: a mother's rank
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| more closely than other animal characters
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| | predetermines that of the daughter.The
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| in fiction and mythology. Come to think
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| | baboon is the other very common primate
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| of it: in this respect, the naughty
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| | in the savannahs of East Africa. It is a
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| tree-swinging monkey is more deserving of
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| | large, terrestrial monkey with a dog like
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| our respect than haughty king
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| | head. Indeed its scientific name is,
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| lion.Non-human primates are confined to
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| | papio cynocephalus -here cynocephalus
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| the tropics, where 80% of them live in
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| | means "dog-headed." They weigh up to 50
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| rain forests as the dominant mammals.
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| | kg, with males reaching up to twice the
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| East Africa has few patches of tropical
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| | weight of females. Their limbs are
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| forests where you find the great apes,
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| | sturdy, nearly equal in length while
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| but the entire region supports many other
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| | hands and feet are short and wide with
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| primate species. Only a few species are
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| | stubby digits. The females have very
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| not dependent on trees and can survive in
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| | prominent sexual swellings.Baboons in
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| savannah and sub desert areas. These
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| | East Africa appear in two common species
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| include baboons, vervet monkeys and
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| | - olive and yellow baboons. Next to
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| chimpanzees. Not surprisingly, travellers
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| | humans, baboons are the best adapted of
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| to east Africa are most likely to come
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| | the terrestrial primates. For this
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| across these three species.But most
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| | reason, they are the most widespread
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| primates still depend on trees or cliffs
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| | African primate- to be found from
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| for security. Only the two most
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| | savannah to arid habitats, so long as
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| intriguing primate species sleep on the
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| | there is water and trees or just cliffs.
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| ground-man and gorilla. We shall not
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| | Most travellers will see baboons on the
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| discuss these two species in this article
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| | highways, in many places across the
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| and shall cover them in separate
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| | region. They live well enough outside
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| features. For now, we shall only able to
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| | protected areas, such as national parks.
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| look at the four most common primates
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| | They are serious crop pests and are even
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| found in East Africa; bush babies,
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| | classified as vermin -not wildlife- but
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| monkeys, baboons and chimpanzees.Primates
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| | in parts of Kenya.A baboons' menu include
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| have complex social organizations and the
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| | grasses, flowers, fruits, seeds and
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| majority live in female-bonded groups.
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| | shoots. In the dry season, they uproot
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| Scientists speculate that this works as
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| | grasses and feed on the underground
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| an alliance against aggressive males.
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| | stems, a niche they share with no other
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| Females stay on in their natal group even
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| | mammal except warthogs. Beware that
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| after maturity, while males exit the
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| | baboons are fierce fighters and with
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| group. Feminist fundamentalists may
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| | group work can confront and scare off a
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| perhaps take a hint in this arrangement?
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| | sharp predator such as leopard. Because
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| Chimpanzees make an exception to this
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| | of their well-developed taste for fruits
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| rule. Very much like humans, female
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| | and other foods humans are partial to,
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| chimps seek an alliance with a male
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| | baboons tend to stalk visitors in
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| protector, which is recognised and
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| | national parks. In some cases they
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| respected by other males.A common feature
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| | supplement their diet with vertebrate
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| among primates is evolution of the
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| | prey: fish, lizards and young of ground
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| "primate hand."This is a prehensile hand
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| | nesting birds, and bird or crocodile
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| that is used for climbing and eating, and
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| | eggs.Baboons live in troops ranging from
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| tool making in the case of apes. Some
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| | 8 to over 200 animals, but typically
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| primates- especially baboons and apes,
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| | average about 40. Troops tend to avoid
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| have such well-developed dexterity of the
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| | one another but may occasionally share
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| hand that the tips of the thumb and
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| | resources. Their social organization is
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| forefinger meet at right angles. In apes,
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| | highly complex and variable; they are
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| the dexterity of the hands is very close
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| | able to display emotion and can
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| that of humans -and chimps are a good
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| | communicate motivation. Females remain in
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| example.Primates, just like humans, use
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| | the troop, with a reproductive strategy
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| social grooming as a form of contact
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| | grounded on male supremacy.The colobus
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| communication. Travellers will witness
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| | monkey is another common primate that is
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| this practice among baboons and vervet
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| | the subject of many parables in Africa.
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| monkeys. Grooming is useful for social
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| | The black and white colobus are
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| bonding and is effected by use of the
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| | especially priced for their beautiful
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| mouth and hands. At a more practical
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| | coat, which has traditionally been used
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| level, it is also used to clean the body
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| | as ceremonial attire. The colobus is
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| of parasites, such as ticks. Grooming
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| | found only in Africa and has a long tail
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| underlines hierarchies; a junior member
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| | and hairs. The body weight reaches up to
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| of a group will happily groom its
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| | 23 kg. Both the black and white species
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| betters.Reproduction in primates is quite
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| | are well adapted and have inherited many
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| varied, but there is much in common with
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| | kinds of forest woodlands throughout East
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| humans. Monkeys and apes, for example,
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| | Africa. They live up at the trees and
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| actually do menstruate. A key difference
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| | rarely descend to the ground. This rather
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| however, is that many primates have
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| | shy animal is not easily sighted in the
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| distinct breeding seasons. The young are
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| | open and you are more likely to see or
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| dependent on the mother, but less so than
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| | hear them in thick woodlands and forested
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| human infants. They enjoy the protection
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| | parks.The apes are a category of primates
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| of a fur coat and are able to climb and
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| | represented in Africa by gorilla,
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| reach the mothers' teats and cling to her
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| | chimpanzees and bonobo. Genetically, they
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| while being transported. Males generally
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| | are the closest primates to man. The apes
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| play a marginal role in parental
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| | have very advanced social and
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| care.Bush babies are a big group of
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| | communication systems. They come close to
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| primates, comprising about 18 species
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| | humans in the use of facial expressions
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| found Africa, and of which 11 species
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| | and body language; using both arms and
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| live in East Africa. This is one of the
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| | hands. Apart from mother-infant contact,
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| smallest but most successful of the
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| | apes groom each other in the usual
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| primates. There are two main types: the
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| | primate fashion- rank determines who
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| lesser bush baby and the greater bush
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| | grooms whom.Apes are particularly adept
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| baby. Both are widely distributed and
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| | at tactile communications; that is use of
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| found in the forested national parks of
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| | touch. They seek and give reassurance by
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| East Africa. During the day, they hide to
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| | touching each other - just like we do -on
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| avoid harm from eagles and large
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| | the most sensitive areas like hands, face
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| snakes.In lodges located close to dense
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| | and genitals. Apes are slow to mature,
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| forest, such as Shimba Hills in Kenya,
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| | with the young reaching adolescence at
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| bush babies are at night attracted to the
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| | about the age of 8 years. Females bring
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| dining rooms by sugar and sugary
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| | forth their first fruits in their early
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| products. They otherwise feed mainly on
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| | teens, much earlier than males who rarely
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| tree gum and insects. Their technique of
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| | start procreating before reaching 15
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| catching insects is either by leaping and
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| | years. All apes build nests- in this
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| grabbing or by creeping to within
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| | case, a platform on which to sleep
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| grabbing distance. They have distinct
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| | securely at night: chimps up the trees
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| vocal sounds and the name bush baby
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| | and gorillas on the ground.Generally all
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| originated from the piercing baby-like
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| | the apes are endangered and vulnerable.
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| cries or advertising calls of the greater
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| | The problem is that they occur naturally
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| bush baby. Adult males advertise the
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| | in very small densities and face
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| most, especially in the mating
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| | immediate threat of habitat loss
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| season.Bush babies are easy to
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| | throughout their ranges. The situation is
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| like-perhaps on account of their
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| | further compounded by the fact that they
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| baby-like cries and small innocent
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| | perpetuate themselves at a rather slow
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| looking faces. They are active only after
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| | pace. The other risk is the bush meat
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| sundown. Extremely agile and sprightly,
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| | trade that goes on in some parts of
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| they use their elongated hind limbs to
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| | Africa, which takes them out in large
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| execute spectacular leaps between trees.
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| | numbers every year. The situation
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| Distended finger and toe pads enable them
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| | deteriorated after the 1980's, when many
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| to cling unerringly, leap after leap, to
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| | previously inaccessible tracts of
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| even the most slippery branches.The other
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| | rainforest were opened up for
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| small primates like bush babies are
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| | logging.Although apes are not known to
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| pottos. Being small and nocturnal, you
| |
| | eat humans, there are reports of their
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| will hardly ever see them. Only one
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| | killing human babies in western Uganda -
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| species is found in East Africa -in south
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| | especially in Bwindi and Kibale forests.
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| and west Uganda, far northwest Tanzania
| |
| | This phenomenon is as yet unexplained and
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| and western Kenya in the Mount Elgon and
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| | is very puzzling to primate
|
| Kakamega forests. Pottos wear a woolly
| |
| | researchersChimpanzees are large, hairy
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| brown jacket and have large protuberant
| |
| | and tailless; females weigh between 30-40
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| eyes, small rounded naked ears, short
| |
| | kg, while males can reach 180 kg. They
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| muzzles and short stubby tails. They
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| | have big heads, flattened face with a
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| weigh between 0.8 - 1.6kg.Monkeys are a
| |
| | small nose and forward facing eyes. They
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| category of dog-shaped primates. They
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| | have same number and type of teeth as
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| stand and move horizontally on four legs,
| |
| | man. The chimp is indeed our closet
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| with head directed forwards and
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| | living relative, sharing 98% of our genes
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| downwards. Consequently, the form and
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| | and much of our behaviour. The chimp and
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| movement is also doglike, particularly
| |
| | mountain gorilla are the only great apes
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| for the more terrestrial ones like
| |
| | found naturally is East Africa. Seeing
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| baboons. Their bottoms are padded with
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| | chimps in the wild is an exhilarating
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| bare "scars" that may appear like wounds.
| |
| | experience. And Uganda is the best
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| These are called callosities, and their
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| | country in the world to view chimps in
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| colouration varies with the reproductive
| |
| | their natural habitat.In Uganda, you
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| season. The phenomenon is most prominent
| |
| | encounter chimps at Queen Elizabeth
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| among baboons and is quite puzzling to
| |
| | National Park and Kibale and Budingo
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| many travellers.There is a clear
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| | forest. In Tanzania, you see them at
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| distinction in form and structure of the
| |
| | Gombe National Park, to the north west of
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| genders in monkeys. This is especially so
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| | the country. Kenya has no naturally
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| among baboons, in which females are
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| | occurring chimps population, but at
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| clearly smaller in body size - by as much
| |
| | Nanyuki in the central region, there is a
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| as 50% compared males. The posture and
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| | sanctuary for chimps rescued from the
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| movement of monkeys is often a reflection
| |
| | illegal trade going on in parts of
|
| of their social status. The confident
| |
| | central and West Africa.Chimps are mainly
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| monkey appears relaxed and walks with its
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| | found in rainforest and wet savannah.
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| limbs extended and back level. It surveys
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| | They are less robustly built than
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| its realm casually and is at ease while
| |
| | gorillas; their arms are shorter,
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| resting. On the other hand, subordinates
| |
| | reaching just below the knees and the
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| walk with back hunched, limbs rather bent
| |
| | hands and fingers are long with short
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| and tail low or curved downwards.Dominant
| |
| | thumbs. The feet are adapted for
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| males are known to exaggerate their
| |
| | grasping, with long, stout opposable big
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| status by walking with a swagger and
| |
| | toe. Chimpanzees feed mainly on fruits
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| squatting with obvious ostentation. This
| |
| | mostly gathered from trees and the young
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| behaviour is the subject of many
| |
| | leaves of plants. They also feed on
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| metaphors in African folklore. Monkeys
| |
| | flowers, pith, and bark and also derive
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| are generally social, though they exhibit
| |
| | additional nutrients from insects and
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| occasional rivalry. When attempting to
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| | some meat too- young antelopes, goats,
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| intimidate a rival, a monkey stands at
| |
| | and other primates such as young baboons
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| its tallest, with the effect that it
| |
| | and colobus monkeys.Chimps are articulate
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| looks bigger than it realy is-, which of
| |
| | tool users- a clear sign of a hard
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| course is precisely the point. "Filling
| |
| | working brain. They can pick up small
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| yourself like a male monkey" is a common
| |
| | objects between thumbs and side of the
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| teenage statement in Africa, and
| |
| | index finger. They possess the acumen to
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| originates from this practice.Many
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| | prepare and use grass stems and sticks to
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| travellers will have noticed that adult
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| | fish for insects. A female on heat may
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| male monkeys like exposing their genitals
| |
| | mate with several males. It gives birth
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| to impress or maybe intimidate other
| |
| | to a single off spring, which is
|
| males. Baboons are especially notorious
| |
| | independent after about 4 years.The
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| for this rather unwholesome exhibitionist
| |
| | chimps are individualistic and do not
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| behaviour. Do not be offended when you
| |
| | live in cohesive groups like gorillas or
|
| find a dominant male, sitting apart on
| |
| | monkeys. They live in communities, with
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| high vantage point, facing away from the
| |
| | up to 100 animals sharing a common home
|
| troop as he scans the surrounding with
| |
| | range. But they never assemble in a
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| legs spread apart to expose the penis.
| |
| | single troop. Jane Goodall, in her book
|
| This is a particularly noticeable thing
| |
| | "The Chimpanzees of Gombe", has shown
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| about baboons, or perhaps it is what
| |
| | that chimps, in common with humans,
|
| humans cannot avoid noticing- being so
| |
| | engage in some very disagreeable
|
| well trained to look down
| |
| | behaviour. Males occasionally rape
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| upon such immodest displays. Among the
| |
| | females and engage in internecine
|
| monkeys species found in East Africa are
| |
| | warfare. Dr. Goodall has reported that
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| the blue or syke monkey, the vervet
| |
| | from early 1974, a brutal four-year war
|
| monkey and the colobus monkey.Sykes are
| |
| | raged in Gombe between two chimp groups
|
| dark, stoutly built and have round facial
| |
| | that resulted in the decimation of one
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| disk and no beard. They weigh up to 12kg,
| |
| | group.The best way to see the primates of
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| with males larger and heavier than
| |
| | East Africa is by taking a combined Kenya
|
| females. The body is covered by thick
| |
| | and Uganda safari. On such as safari, you
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| long fur with a brown patch of bristling
| |
| | will of course see the other wildlife
|
| hair. Sykes are quite widespread in East
| |
| | East Africa is famed for, but be sure
|
| Africa and can generally be sighted in
| |
| | that the locations where primates are
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| all forested national parks. But as they
| |
| | found are covered. On safari, wear light
|
| as not aware of park boundaries, you will
| |
| | cottons and linen. But also pack some
|
| also see them in thick forests and forest
| |
| | warmer clothing, as the evenings and
|
| reserves outside the parks. They are
| |
| | early mornings can be quite chilly. Some
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| however slowly being confined to national
| |
| | rainwear is advisable between March and
|
| parks due continuing degradation of
| |
| | June and October and December. You should
|
| protected forests. Sykes mostly feed on
| |
| | bring along a decent pair of sunglasses
|
| fruits and leaves and occasionally
| |
| | and a pair of binoculars.
|
| insects and flowers.The vervet monkey is
| |
| |
|
