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fandomhigh2011-07-14 08:34 am
bootlessjane.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-07-14 08:34 am
Entry tags:
Monkey Business; Thursday, Period Two [ 0714 ].
The jungle scene found in the Danger Shop when the children entered it today was slightly different than last week, though still with a nice little classroom clearing and their instructor beaming and happy to get going on class.
"Good morning!" Jane greeted them. "And welcome to Central America! We've hopped on over to a different area of the world to learn all about our first primate. Since it was one of the few specific monkeys mentioned last week, I decide it might be a good idea to--"
And she was suddenly interrupted by a low, loud throaty sound.
"Oh, goodness!" said Jane with a surprised laugh. "What I was saying was, I thought it might be fun if we went ahead and took a look at some h--"
And again, Jane was promptly interrupted and it went on for quite a bit. She didn't seem bothered; in fact, she was grinning quite a bit. "Howler monkeys," she finally said. "Let's get to learning about them before they drown me out again!"
"Aluatta alouattinae, better known as howler monkeys are primates in the Southern and Central American forests known for their distinctive 'howl,' which, as you've heard, almost resembles the bark of a dog. They have a short snout, and wide-set, round nostrils," which, of course, meant Jane's words were being accompanied on the blackboard with a rather quick but rather good sketch. "They can range in size from 56 to 92 cm, if you don't include their tail which can be equally as long as their bodies. Like many New World monkeys, they have prehensile tails, meaning they can use their tails practically like another appendage. Unlike other New World monkeys, however, both male and female howler monkeys have trichromatic colour vision, which has evolved independently from other New World monkeys due to gene duplication. Isn't that utterly fascinating? They have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Howler species are dimorphic and can also be dichromatic. Males are, on average, 1.5 to 2 kilograms heavier than females.
Generally, howler monkeys will move as quadrupeds on the tops of branches, usually grasping a branch with at least two hands or one hand and the tail at all times. " Watching Jane imitate this process after she'd written about it on the board was just an added bonus, especially since she did it completely without embarrassment. "As I mentioned, they have strong prehensile tails which are able to support the monkey's entire body weight. However, fully adult howler monkeys do not often rely on their tail for full body support whereas juveniles do so more frequently. I imagine they find it quite fun, but, clearly, adults are far too important and grown up to do such silly things!
"Most howler monkey species will live in groups of 10 to 15 animals, with one to three adults males and multiple females. Mantled howlers monkeys are an exception, commonly living in groups of 15 to 20 individuals with more than three adult males. Unlike most New World monkeys, in which one sex remains in natal groups, juveniles of both sexes emigrate from their natal groups, such that howler monkeys could spend the majority of their adult lives in association with non-kin. So, contrary to what you might think, all that howling isn't about annoying relatives in the least! Group size varies by species and by location, with an approximate male to female ratio of a male to four females.
"They are generally a peaceful species of primates: physical fighting among group members is infrequent and generally of short duration. However, serious injuries can result; when they do fight, they make it count! Both males and females may fight with each other but physical aggression is even more rare between sexes.
"Now, how about that strange sound that they make? As their name suggests, vocal communication forms an important part of howler monkey social behavior. They have an enlarged basihyal or hyoid bone which helps them make their loud vocalizations. Group males generally call at dawn and dusk as well as interspersed times throughout the day. The main vocals consist of loud, deep guttural growls or 'howls.' Howler monkeys are widely considered to be the loudest land animal, even louder than us humans, which can be hard to believe sometimes! Their vocalizations can be heard clearly for 4.8 kilometers! It is hypothesized that the function of howling relates to intergroup spacing and territory protection, as well as possibly mate-guarding. I'd have you all practise the howling, but I wouldn't want to inadvertently offend any of our howler monkey friends once we're out in the jungle visiting them!
"Being large and slow moving, howler monkeys are the only folivores of the New World monkeys. They eat mainly top canopy leaves, together with fruit, buds, flowers, and nuts. They need to be careful not to eat too much of certain species of mature leaf in one sitting, as some of the leaves they eat contain toxins that can poison the monkey. Howler monkeys are also known to occasionally raid birds nests and chicken coops and consume the eggs. I've included some fruits and nuts in your pack, should any of you like to feed the monkeys while we're out. This is just a simulation of the monkeys, so they will be far more friendly to such advances than they would be in the wild, where I would highly advise not feeding them at all unless you were a well trained primatologist such as myself.
"They are very seldom violent creatures, but they take quite a bit offense to attempts to being put into captivity. They are considered to have quite a surly disposition, as I'm sure you'll discover, which is believed to be the reasons why natives have never quite taken to keeping howlers as pets. Surly, and can you imagine waking up to that sound ever morning instead of a nice cock-a-doodle-do? The black howler is known to be a bit gentler, though, and it turns out that it can be a popular pet in modern day Argentina, though it can be less intelligent, and, well, let us just say, cleaning up after a pet howler would require quite a considerably sized baggy.
"The wonderful German naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt said of the howler monkey, 'heir eyes, voice, and gait are indicative of melancholy,' which may entertain a poetic desire to associate their howls to some sort of deeper frustration. John Lloyd Stephens suggested that they are 'grave and solemn as if officiating as the guardians of consecrated ground,' and he may not be too far off. To the ancient Mayans of these areas, these monkeys were considered divine patrons of artisans, yes, including musicians, so keep an eye out! You might discover some ancient testimony to their divinity!"
"And, if there are no further question, then, let us get ourselves some hat and some packs and veture out to have a look at these--" Naturally, she was interrupted again, "--monkeys."
[[please wait for the OCD THE OCD IS UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP! ]]
"Good morning!" Jane greeted them. "And welcome to Central America! We've hopped on over to a different area of the world to learn all about our first primate. Since it was one of the few specific monkeys mentioned last week, I decide it might be a good idea to--"
And she was suddenly interrupted by a low, loud throaty sound.
"Oh, goodness!" said Jane with a surprised laugh. "What I was saying was, I thought it might be fun if we went ahead and took a look at some h--"
And again, Jane was promptly interrupted and it went on for quite a bit. She didn't seem bothered; in fact, she was grinning quite a bit. "Howler monkeys," she finally said. "Let's get to learning about them before they drown me out again!"
"Aluatta alouattinae, better known as howler monkeys are primates in the Southern and Central American forests known for their distinctive 'howl,' which, as you've heard, almost resembles the bark of a dog. They have a short snout, and wide-set, round nostrils," which, of course, meant Jane's words were being accompanied on the blackboard with a rather quick but rather good sketch. "They can range in size from 56 to 92 cm, if you don't include their tail which can be equally as long as their bodies. Like many New World monkeys, they have prehensile tails, meaning they can use their tails practically like another appendage. Unlike other New World monkeys, however, both male and female howler monkeys have trichromatic colour vision, which has evolved independently from other New World monkeys due to gene duplication. Isn't that utterly fascinating? They have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. Howler species are dimorphic and can also be dichromatic. Males are, on average, 1.5 to 2 kilograms heavier than females.
Generally, howler monkeys will move as quadrupeds on the tops of branches, usually grasping a branch with at least two hands or one hand and the tail at all times. " Watching Jane imitate this process after she'd written about it on the board was just an added bonus, especially since she did it completely without embarrassment. "As I mentioned, they have strong prehensile tails which are able to support the monkey's entire body weight. However, fully adult howler monkeys do not often rely on their tail for full body support whereas juveniles do so more frequently. I imagine they find it quite fun, but, clearly, adults are far too important and grown up to do such silly things!
"Most howler monkey species will live in groups of 10 to 15 animals, with one to three adults males and multiple females. Mantled howlers monkeys are an exception, commonly living in groups of 15 to 20 individuals with more than three adult males. Unlike most New World monkeys, in which one sex remains in natal groups, juveniles of both sexes emigrate from their natal groups, such that howler monkeys could spend the majority of their adult lives in association with non-kin. So, contrary to what you might think, all that howling isn't about annoying relatives in the least! Group size varies by species and by location, with an approximate male to female ratio of a male to four females.
"They are generally a peaceful species of primates: physical fighting among group members is infrequent and generally of short duration. However, serious injuries can result; when they do fight, they make it count! Both males and females may fight with each other but physical aggression is even more rare between sexes.
"Now, how about that strange sound that they make? As their name suggests, vocal communication forms an important part of howler monkey social behavior. They have an enlarged basihyal or hyoid bone which helps them make their loud vocalizations. Group males generally call at dawn and dusk as well as interspersed times throughout the day. The main vocals consist of loud, deep guttural growls or 'howls.' Howler monkeys are widely considered to be the loudest land animal, even louder than us humans, which can be hard to believe sometimes! Their vocalizations can be heard clearly for 4.8 kilometers! It is hypothesized that the function of howling relates to intergroup spacing and territory protection, as well as possibly mate-guarding. I'd have you all practise the howling, but I wouldn't want to inadvertently offend any of our howler monkey friends once we're out in the jungle visiting them!
"Being large and slow moving, howler monkeys are the only folivores of the New World monkeys. They eat mainly top canopy leaves, together with fruit, buds, flowers, and nuts. They need to be careful not to eat too much of certain species of mature leaf in one sitting, as some of the leaves they eat contain toxins that can poison the monkey. Howler monkeys are also known to occasionally raid birds nests and chicken coops and consume the eggs. I've included some fruits and nuts in your pack, should any of you like to feed the monkeys while we're out. This is just a simulation of the monkeys, so they will be far more friendly to such advances than they would be in the wild, where I would highly advise not feeding them at all unless you were a well trained primatologist such as myself.
"They are very seldom violent creatures, but they take quite a bit offense to attempts to being put into captivity. They are considered to have quite a surly disposition, as I'm sure you'll discover, which is believed to be the reasons why natives have never quite taken to keeping howlers as pets. Surly, and can you imagine waking up to that sound ever morning instead of a nice cock-a-doodle-do? The black howler is known to be a bit gentler, though, and it turns out that it can be a popular pet in modern day Argentina, though it can be less intelligent, and, well, let us just say, cleaning up after a pet howler would require quite a considerably sized baggy.
"The wonderful German naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt said of the howler monkey, 'heir eyes, voice, and gait are indicative of melancholy,' which may entertain a poetic desire to associate their howls to some sort of deeper frustration. John Lloyd Stephens suggested that they are 'grave and solemn as if officiating as the guardians of consecrated ground,' and he may not be too far off. To the ancient Mayans of these areas, these monkeys were considered divine patrons of artisans, yes, including musicians, so keep an eye out! You might discover some ancient testimony to their divinity!"
"And, if there are no further question, then, let us get ourselves some hat and some packs and veture out to have a look at these--" Naturally, she was interrupted again, "--monkeys."
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