Many years ago, I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to a dinner party with Jane Goodall. I can tell you that she is as lovely in person as she seems. I respect her even more for having met her than I did when I had only admiring her from afar. How did I rate this invitation? Well, I was one of the research assistants on her Chimpanzoo Project (yes, I spelled that correctly) back in the early nineties at the zoo I worked for. We followed Jane's strict guidelines and collected behavioral observations on our captive chimps for Jane and her field biologists to compare with the wild chimps. So, occasionally, she would come meet with the project coordinator, who also happened to be a mutual friend. Hence the invitation to dinner. I always looked forward to her visits, more to hear her speak about the chimps at the various fundraising presentations. She always had amazing stories and such a lovely way of making you feel like you could see and better understand the chimps through her eyes.
Nobody understands the behaviors, social structures, and cognitive abilities of chimps better than Jane. Not to mention all the work her Jane Goodall Institute continues to do, not only to better understand chimps, but to raise awareness and protect them and their wild habitat. Now, there is a really easy and fun way you can help Jane help the chimps. If you go out and see the new Disneynature film "Chimpanzee" before May 3rd, the proceeds will go to the Jane Goodall Institute. The movie sounds amazing. I plan to see it this weekend. The film crew happened upon an actual once in a lifetime story of a dominant male chimp, the leader of a troupe, who takes in and raises an orphaned youngster. This is something Jane says they have never seen happen before. But, don't listen to me. Watch her recent interview on the Daily Show, and let her tell you in her own words. Then, head out to a theater near you and see the movie!
Showing posts with label Jane Goodall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jane Goodall. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Master of Camouflage Stirs Things Up
Nothing quite compares to the octopus when it comes to camouflage. Over at Science Blogs, Greg Laden posted this amazing video. Like the man in the video, I had to watch the slow motion replay before I believed this wasn't some kind of trick of the film maker. Check this out!
Isn't that incredible? The common octopus uses a network of pigment cells and specialized muscles in it's skin to blend into its surroundings. It can assess its surroundings and change to blend in seconds so it can literally hide in plain sight. And the ink it ejects if spotted not only obscures the predator's view, but also dulls the predator's sense of smell so the octopus has a better chance of escape. But the octopus doesn't just rely on its camouflage to save it. It also has a wicked jaw that can deliver a vicious bite and venomous saliva to boot. And, as if that weren't enough, it possesses a keen intelligence.
Octopuses have long been thought of as the most intelligent of all the invertebrates, but recent studies by researchers like Jennifer Mather are proving that they are quite capable of problem solving, tool use, heck they even exhibit play behaviors. This ranks them right up there with the most intelligent beings on earth. In fact, they are causing quite a stir, since octopuses are asocial beings. So, proof of their intelligence sort of blows Nicholas Humphrey's social theory of intelligence out of the water. The original theory was expanded to argue animal intelligence by esteemed researchers like Jane Goodall, who posit that the need for intelligence in "higher mammals" like chimpanzees and elephants, for instance, is due to their social structures.
So, the octopus is stirring up the cognitive studies world and forcing researchers to rethink long-standing false assumptions, such as the notion that something must be human-like in some way, possess social skills and humanistic qualities, to have smarts. Not so much. Yet another reason for me to admire the octopus.
Isn't that incredible? The common octopus uses a network of pigment cells and specialized muscles in it's skin to blend into its surroundings. It can assess its surroundings and change to blend in seconds so it can literally hide in plain sight. And the ink it ejects if spotted not only obscures the predator's view, but also dulls the predator's sense of smell so the octopus has a better chance of escape. But the octopus doesn't just rely on its camouflage to save it. It also has a wicked jaw that can deliver a vicious bite and venomous saliva to boot. And, as if that weren't enough, it possesses a keen intelligence.
Octopuses have long been thought of as the most intelligent of all the invertebrates, but recent studies by researchers like Jennifer Mather are proving that they are quite capable of problem solving, tool use, heck they even exhibit play behaviors. This ranks them right up there with the most intelligent beings on earth. In fact, they are causing quite a stir, since octopuses are asocial beings. So, proof of their intelligence sort of blows Nicholas Humphrey's social theory of intelligence out of the water. The original theory was expanded to argue animal intelligence by esteemed researchers like Jane Goodall, who posit that the need for intelligence in "higher mammals" like chimpanzees and elephants, for instance, is due to their social structures.
So, the octopus is stirring up the cognitive studies world and forcing researchers to rethink long-standing false assumptions, such as the notion that something must be human-like in some way, possess social skills and humanistic qualities, to have smarts. Not so much. Yet another reason for me to admire the octopus.
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