ÚLTIMAS PLAZAS LIBRES 2008

Benvolguts amics i amigues,

Us informem que en cas de què estigueu interessats encara disposem de les últimes places lliures pels cursos d'Etologia de Primats Nivell 1 i Nivell 2 del primer i segon semestre de 2008 de FUNDACIÓ MONA. Us informem que les últimes convocatòries d'aquest any 2008 seran els propers mesos de juliol i agost. En total haurem ofertat 130 places durant tot el 2008, 33 més que durant 2007.

Els cursos es rependran el proper mes de març de 2009, i ja començarem a impartir el nivell 3.

NIVELL 1:
Convocatòria del 23-24 de maig: 4 places lliures
Convocatòria del 20-21 de juny: no hi ha places disponibles
Convocatòria del 25-26 de juliol (ÚLTIMA CONVOCATÒRIA NIVELL 1 DE 2008!!): 15 places lliures

NIVELL 2:
Convocatòria del 30-31 de maig: 3 places lliures
Convocatòria del 27-28 de juny: 3 places lliures
Convocatòria del 1-2 d'agost (ÚLTIMA CONVOCATÒRIA NIVELL 2 DE 2008!!): 15 places lliures

Per a més informació i reserves: recerca@fundacionmona.org ; 972 477 618

Cordialment,

*****

Apreciados amigos y amigas,

Os informamos que en caso de que esteis interesados aún disponemos de las últimas plazas libres para los cursos de Etología de Primates Nivel 1 y Nivel 2 del primer y segundo semestre de 2008 de FUNDACIÓN MONA. Os informamos que las últimas convocatorias de este año 2008 seran los próximos meses de julio y agosto. En total habremos ofertado 130 plazas durante todo el 2008, 33 más que durante 2007.

Los cursos se retomarán el próximo mes de marzo de 2009, y ya comenzaremos a impartir el nivel 3.


NIVEL 1:
Convocatoria del 23-24 de mayo: 4 plazas libres
Convocatoria del 20-21 de juny: no hay plazas disponibles
Convocatoria del 25-26 de julio (ÚLTIMA CONVOCATORIA DE NIVEL 1 DE 2008!!): 15 places lliures

NIVEL 2:
Convocatoria del 30-31 de maig: 3 plazas libres
Convocatoria del 27-28 de juny: 3 plazas libres
Convocatoria del 1-2 d'agost (ÚLTIMA CONVOCATORIA DE NIVEL 2 DE 2008!!): 15 places lliures

Para más información y reservas: recerca@fundacionmona.org ; 972 477 618

Un saludo,

-- 
--
Miquel Llorente

Unitat de Recerca i Laboratori d'Etologia
Centre de Recuperació de Primats
FUNDACIÓ MONA

Carretera de Cassà, km1
17457 - Riudellots de la Selva, Girona
Spain

Telf.: 00 34 972 477 618      
e-mail: recerca@fundacionmona.org
web: http://www.fundacionmona.org
blog: http://fmrecerca.blogspot.com/
Cursos Etologia: http://etologiaprimates.blogspot.com/

World's Rarest Gorillas Gain New Refuge

Dan Morrison for National Geographic News

April 22, 2008

The rarest gorillas in the world are being protected in a new sanctuary nestled in the mountains of Cameroon, the government announced recently. A community of 20 Cross River gorillas now live in the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, the first exclusively dedicated to this subspecies of western lowland gorilla. The apes are listed as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union: As few as 250 to 300 survive. The animals are scattered over 11 mountain and forest sites in Cameroon and Nigeria, driven to the verge of extinction by hunting and loss of habitat. Cameroonian Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni announced the Kagwene sanctuary in a decree on April 3. (See an illustration of a Cross River gorilla, recently named one of the 25 most endangered primates.) Every Ape Counts Researcher Jacqueline Sunderland-Groves has studied Cross River gorillas since 1997. She established the Wildlife Conservation Society research team working in the area. The Kagwene sanctuary is "a major conservation achievement for this subspecies," Sunderland-Groves said. Cross River gorillas are the northernmost and westernmost subspecies of gorillas. Their diet is more diverse than that of western lowland gorillas, and Cross River gorillas are found in a wider range of habitats, including lowland forests, mountain forests, and grasslands. Richard Bergl is curator of conservation and research at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro. "Given the small size of the Cross River gorilla population, every single individual is important for the long-term survival of this subspecies," he said. "Wildlife populations of this size can be very sensitive to the loss of even a few animals," he said. Another Link in the Chain More than 60 miles (97 kilometers) to the west of Kagwene lies the only other sanctuary where Cross River apes can be found: an eight-year-old preserve on Afi Mountain in Nigeria. Conservationists want to create a chain of sanctuaries—a wildlife corridor—that would protect the gorillas living between Afi and Kagwene. This would allow them to safely travel—and mate—between localities, ensuring continued genetic diversity. "This subspecies [is] patchily distributed across a broad landscape, and protection across their range requires a network of protected areas and corridors," Sunderland-Groves said. A 2006 action plan by researchers calls for a chain of sanctuaries that would cost U.S. $4.6 million to establish. "Kagwene on its own would perhaps not have a huge impact because it protects just one part of the population and its habitat," said John Oates, professor emeritus at Hunter College in New York, who helped write the plan. "But getting the area protected is a step in getting the larger landscape better managed, from a conservation point of view.'' (Related: "Two New Wildlife Parks Created in Congo" [September 25, 2006].) Gorillas Are People Too Though ringed by human settlements, the gorillas at Kagwene have a leg up other great apes. While gorillas elsewhere in Cameroon and Nigeria are vulnerable to poachers, "Kagwene is unique, in that the gorillas were not traditionally hunted by local communities," Sunderland-Groves said. Many local people believe that gorillas are actually humans and therefore cannot be killed, she said. (Related: "Gorillas Found Tossing 'Weapons,' Study Says" [January 30, 2008].) "Unfortunately, the strong belief in totemism [or kinship] in relation to gorillas is not widespread and only a handful of villages across the gorilla range believe that the gorilla is their particular totem," said Aaron Nicholas, a researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Still,"there seems to be a common recognition that the gorilla is a unique animal and a general acceptance that the hunting of gorillas should not be allowed," Nicholas said. The sanctuary, which has served as a Wildlife Conservation Society research station for several years, will continue to be managed by the nonprofit. The refuge will also be staffed by local villagers trained in conservation. "Protecting any population of these gorillas is critical to their future," said Rebecca Stumpf, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Protecting more would be preferable."

World's Rarest Gorillas Gain New Refuge

Dan Morrison for National Geographic News

April 22, 2008

The rarest gorillas in the world are being protected in a new sanctuary nestled in the mountains of Cameroon, the government announced recently. A community of 20 Cross River gorillas now live in the Kagwene Gorilla Sanctuary, the first exclusively dedicated to this subspecies of western lowland gorilla. The apes are listed as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union: As few as 250 to 300 survive. The animals are scattered over 11 mountain and forest sites in Cameroon and Nigeria, driven to the verge of extinction by hunting and loss of habitat. Cameroonian Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni announced the Kagwene sanctuary in a decree on April 3. (See an illustration of a Cross River gorilla, recently named one of the 25 most endangered primates.) Every Ape Counts Researcher Jacqueline Sunderland-Groves has studied Cross River gorillas since 1997. She established the Wildlife Conservation Society research team working in the area. The Kagwene sanctuary is "a major conservation achievement for this subspecies," Sunderland-Groves said. Cross River gorillas are the northernmost and westernmost subspecies of gorillas. Their diet is more diverse than that of western lowland gorillas, and Cross River gorillas are found in a wider range of habitats, including lowland forests, mountain forests, and grasslands. Richard Bergl is curator of conservation and research at the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro. "Given the small size of the Cross River gorilla population, every single individual is important for the long-term survival of this subspecies," he said. "Wildlife populations of this size can be very sensitive to the loss of even a few animals," he said. Another Link in the Chain More than 60 miles (97 kilometers) to the west of Kagwene lies the only other sanctuary where Cross River apes can be found: an eight-year-old preserve on Afi Mountain in Nigeria. Conservationists want to create a chain of sanctuaries—a wildlife corridor—that would protect the gorillas living between Afi and Kagwene. This would allow them to safely travel—and mate—between localities, ensuring continued genetic diversity. "This subspecies [is] patchily distributed across a broad landscape, and protection across their range requires a network of protected areas and corridors," Sunderland-Groves said. A 2006 action plan by researchers calls for a chain of sanctuaries that would cost U.S. $4.6 million to establish. "Kagwene on its own would perhaps not have a huge impact because it protects just one part of the population and its habitat," said John Oates, professor emeritus at Hunter College in New York, who helped write the plan. "But getting the area protected is a step in getting the larger landscape better managed, from a conservation point of view.'' (Related: "Two New Wildlife Parks Created in Congo" [September 25, 2006].) Gorillas Are People Too Though ringed by human settlements, the gorillas at Kagwene have a leg up other great apes. While gorillas elsewhere in Cameroon and Nigeria are vulnerable to poachers, "Kagwene is unique, in that the gorillas were not traditionally hunted by local communities," Sunderland-Groves said. Many local people believe that gorillas are actually humans and therefore cannot be killed, she said. (Related: "Gorillas Found Tossing 'Weapons,' Study Says" [January 30, 2008].) "Unfortunately, the strong belief in totemism [or kinship] in relation to gorillas is not widespread and only a handful of villages across the gorilla range believe that the gorilla is their particular totem," said Aaron Nicholas, a researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Still,"there seems to be a common recognition that the gorilla is a unique animal and a general acceptance that the hunting of gorillas should not be allowed," Nicholas said. The sanctuary, which has served as a Wildlife Conservation Society research station for several years, will continue to be managed by the nonprofit. The refuge will also be staffed by local villagers trained in conservation. "Protecting any population of these gorillas is critical to their future," said Rebecca Stumpf, a researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "Protecting more would be preferable."

Ape Genius reveals depth of animal intelligence

By Paul Eccleston

Last Updated: 5:01pm BST 02/05/2008

Chimpanzees in Senegal make and sharpen spears with their teeth to go hunting. Like our own ancestors they have learned to use tools to kill their quarry more effectively.

Ape genius: A chimp turns a handle on an experiment device (left) and a chimp examining red cups

They use their colossal strength to thrust their spears into holes in trees where they suspect nocturnal bushbabies are sleeping.

Anthropologist Jill Pruetz believes she has made a landmark discovery - a species other than humans learning - and passing on - the skills to make a lethal weapon.

The generation of ideas and sharing a skill is a scientific definition of culture.

In another part of Africa a young chimp lowers himself gingerly into a cooling pool and squealing with excitement - in exactly the same way as a human child would. Apes are supposed to be afraid of water but this one is actively using the water as a tool to enjoy a dip.

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In controlled laboratory experiments another chimpanzee called Judy quickly learns how to use a complex series of manoeuvres, turning wheels and pulling handles in order, to obtain a piece of fruit from a specially constructed wooden slot machine. But even more remarkably other chimps watch her success and then learn the skill themselves.

Learning by imitation is regarded as an essential skill for culture.

Apes display rudimentary traditions which could be interpreted as culture but are they really bright enough to develop a proper culture?

The apes are all stars of a new film - Ape Genius - which gives a fascinating insight into the depth of intelligence of animals who share 99 per cent of human genes. In it they reveal the skills, reasoning powers and emotions that were once thought to be uniquely human.

The stars include Koko a gorilla who understands sign language, Azy an orangutan maths champion, and Kanzi a bonobo who understands more than 3,000 words of English.

The film demonstrates that apes are more like us than we ever imagined and only the lack of a few mental skills has prevented them making the giant evolutionary development steps taken by their human cousins.

What's the little difference that makes the big difference and how big is the gap between Them and Us?, the film asks.

In west Africa Japanese researchers watch a mother care for sick two-years-old infant. She puts her paw on his forehead in exactly the way as a parent would check for a temperature in a child. As the baby chimp's life ebbs away she cares for him devotedly and when he dies she carries him around on her back for weeks almost refusing to accept that he is gone.

It is impossible to know what she is thinking but not difficult to recognise that she is stricken with grief.

"When I see the scene of the mother looking at the baby, I really recognise the emotional life of chimpanzees are so similar to us," says one of the researchers.

But if apes have the power to reason, learn skills, feel emotion and co-operate in a frenzied tree-top hunt for Colobus monkeys as chimpanzees do, why don't we have a planet of the apes?

The film reveals that although apes will co-operate to obtain food they don't have a shared commitment, they don't have the passion to urge or cheer on a tribe member and they do not have control of their emotions. They are also violent, impulsive and display deadly rivalry.

Although they can be taught to recognise symbols and words they don't have the mental capacity to contribute to a 'conversation' - and they don't make small talk. And most important of all although they can imitate, they can't teach or build on the achievements others have made - unlike more successful humans.

Their mental rocket is on the launch pad but it hasn't taken off, the film concludes.

Ape Genius will be shown on the National Geographic Wild Channel on Thursday May 8 at 9.00pm