Fatima Xiadani Gomez

Primate Research

As one of our closest living relatives, bonobos surprised me in my observations. They

were very fun to observe because I never spotted any conflict with each other and, they were
always very playful and kind to one another even when playing competitively. Not only are they
very fun to watch but I also learned a lot of their common behaviors. The bonobos always liked
to be in a group I rarely saw a bonobo isolated, if they were, they appeared to be asleep. I was
really surprised at the way they all got a long but then again, all the bonobos I observed were
Juveniles, I wonder if being in a group has anything to do with the age of a primate. Another
observation I found very interesting was their communication. They only vocalized with each
other when playing and it was not connected to any potential threats or the location of
individuals and food. They kept on playing while vocalizing to each other, I’m thinking it might
be a friendly/playful vocalization that means to keep on playing or that they are really enjoying
tie with one another. Before playing, one day all the juveniles were grooming together in a group
before playing. My last observation that I made was the fact that they had sex while I was
observing them for the last time, I learned that while other primates fight or make threats to
resolve conflicts, bonobos often have sexual relations instead. Bonobo’s also do not care if they
have sex with the same gender or not, I observed to males having sexual relations. In addition,
observing orangutangs was the complete opposite for me. They were very different from the
bonobo’s; I never saw them play with one another let alone communicate with each other.
Mostly all the orangutangs I observed were on trees or canopies, the ones on the ground were
either sleeping or interacting with the visitors from the clear glass. While I was observing just
one orangutang, he did nothing for the while hour that I was observing him. On another instance
I witnessed some aggression. Two females were on that canopies at different levels. F1 which
was at the lower level decided to climb up to where F2 was and F2 was not happy about it. F2
flinched when she noticed F1 and saw that she was not moving from her spot therefore F2 left.
Overall, I’m happy that I got to observe some movement and to see how different primates can
be from each other. If I were studying primates in the field, I think I would get a lot more
interaction and/or movement because they can know I’m there and get to trust me. In this
assignment I preferred to collect qualitative data because I was able to collect data through
observation instead of collecting data through measuring.
Quantitative Primate Observation Form (Form 1)

Date: 02/14/21 Start time: 2:00 End time: 3:20

Location: San Diego

Weather: 58 F no rain

Primate species: Bonobo

Is this a group observation or a focused observation: Group

Number of adult males: 1 Number of adult females: 0 Number of juveniles: 3

Description of study primate(s): Describe each primate, including its size, coloring, and unusual
features. If you are studying a group, assign each primate a code, such as F1 for female 1, F2 for female
2, and J1 for juvenile 1. Then use the codes to streamline your note taking.

M1 Bigger than the juveniles, J1 darker hair, J2 more playful, J3 smaller than J1 and J2.

Observations: Choose a time interval, such as every two minutes. Record your choice below. Then after
each time interval, write the primate’s code in the appropriate box in the chart if it is practicing that
behavior in that instant. Please make observations for a total of ten minutes.

Length of time interval: every two minutes for 10 minutes

Behavior Interval 1 Interval 2 Interval 3 Interval 4 Interval 5

Grooming or J1 J2 M1 none none J1 J2 J1 J2 J3
scratching
Playing J3 J1 J2 J3 J1 J2 J3 J3 none

Affiliative J3 J1 J2 J3 J3 none none

vocalization
Threat none none none none none
 display

Violence none none none none None

Aggressive none none none none none

vocalization
Food none none none none none
collecting

Eating none none none none none

Food sharing none none none none none

Tool use none none none none none

Courtship or none none none none none

soliciting sex
Sex none none none none none

Sleeping none M1 M1 M1 M1

Caring for none none none none none

juvenile
Moving or none none none none none
Locomotion
Other (please
describe)

Qualitative Primate Observation Form (Form 2)

Date: 02/16/21 Start time: 2:00 End time: 3:20

Location: San Diego

Weather: 59 F no rain

Primate species: Orangutangs

 Is this a group observation or a focused observation: group

Number of adult males: 2 Number of adult females: 2 Number of juveniles: 0

Description of study primate(s): Describe each primate, including its size, coloring, and unusual
features. If you are studying a group, assign each primate a code, such as F1 for female 1, F2 for female
2, and J1 for juvenile 1. Then use the codes to streamline your note taking.

F1 F2 and M1 M2 were all just laying down. They look like they are all social distancing. All
have orange hair. M1 and M2 are bigger than the two females. Their hair is very long and
matted. M1’s hair is slightly darker than M2. For the bulk of the time I spent observing them
they were all laying down the males were laying down on the ground and the two females
were laying up above.

Observations: Choose a time interval, such as every 2 minutes. Record your choice below. Then after
each time interval, describe the behaviors you observe in that instant. Please make observations for a
total of ten minutes.

Length of time interval: 2

Time interval 1: 10

Time interval 2: 10

Time interval 3: 10

Time interval 4: 10

Time interval 5: 10
Quantitative Primate Observation Form (Form 3)

Date: 02/ 17/21 Start time: 2:00 End time: 3:20

Location: San Diego

Weather: 56 F no rain

Primate species: orangutang

Is this a group observation or a focused observation: focused

Number of adult males: 1 Number of adult females: Number of juveniles:

Description of study primate(s): Describe each primate, including its size, coloring, and unusual
features. If you are studying a group, assign each primate a code, such as F1 for female 1, F2 for female
2, and J1 for juvenile 1. Then use the codes to streamline your note taking.

M1

Observations: Choose a time interval, such as every two minutes. Record your choice below. Then after
each time interval, write the primate’s code in the appropriate box in the chart if it is practicing that
behavior in that instant. Please make observations for a total of ten minutes.

Length of time interval: every 2 minutes for 5 minutes

Behavior Interval 1 Interval 2 Interval 3 Interval 4 Interval 5

Grooming or none none none none none
scratching
Playing none none none none none

Affiliative none none none none none

vocalization
Threat none none none none none
display
 Violence none none none none none

Aggressive none none none none none

vocalization
Food none none none none none
collecting

Eating none none M1 none none

Food sharing none none none none none

Tool use none none none none none

Courtship or none none none none none

soliciting sex
Sex none none none none none

Sleeping none none none none none

Caring for none none none none none

juvenile
Moving or none M1 none none none
Locomotion
Other (please He did Still laying
describe) nothing he down, I don’t
just laid think he’s
down sleeping
though.

Qualitative Primate Observation Form (Form 4)

Date: 02/21/21 Start time: 2:00 End time: 3:20

Location: San Diego

Weather: 56 F no rain
 Primate species: Bonobo, Orangutang

Is this a group observation or a focused observation: Group

Number of adult males: 1 Number of adult females: Number of juveniles: 2

Description of study primate(s): Describe each primate, including its size, coloring, and unusual
features. If you are studying a group, assign each primate a code, such as F1 for female 1, F2 for female
2, and J1 for juvenile 1. Then use the codes to streamline your note taking.

One of the J1 (black hair and smaller than F1 and M1) was laying down scratching its head
and another juvenile (J2) comes and starts playing with him, jumps on him. They start to
become very touchy with one another. They were hugging and then after they had sex. After
both juveniles are very active. They are playing with their toys, J2 is swinging around. F1 is on
a hammock covering herself with something that looks like a blanket. F1 has orange hair and
is bigger than the juveniles. Another Juvenile comes into the video, J3 is hanging and playing
around but is the only one playing atm. F1 moves climbs higher where F2 was. F2 moves as
soon as F1 approaches her. F2 also has a blanket. F1s hair is very long and matted, its going
up to the glass where people are and it just lays down in front of them. J3 and J1 are playing
on a rope, J3 is shaking really hard though. M1 is laying down on the ground while all of this
is going on he is slightly bigger than all of them and hair is also very matted. Looks
unbothered.

Observations: Choose a time interval, such as every 2 minutes. Record your choice below. Then after
each time interval, describe the behaviors you observe in that instant. Please make observations for a
total of ten minutes.

Length of time interval: 2

Time interval 1: 10

Time interval 2: 10

Time interval 3: 10
Time interval 4: 10

Time interval 5: 10