Orang-utan communication is like charades
* 00:01 02 August 2007
* NewScientist.com news service
* Rowan Hooper
Gina gestured for the banana. When Erica offered her a stick of celery instead, single mother Gina, 42, impatiently gestured again. When Erica held up the banana, Gina clapped. She's better behaved than Theodora, a feisty teenager who throws sand when she is misunderstood.
Gina and Theodora are orang-utans, two of six females that have now been found to communicate with gestures in the same way as people do when playing the game charades. Erica Cartmill and Richard Byrne at the University of St Andrews, UK, presented the apes with one tasty and one not-so-tasty food item that could only be reached with human help.
As in charades, when the orang-utans' signals were completely misunderstood, they broadened the range of signals used and avoided the one that had "failed". When they were partially understood – when they were offered celery instead of a banana, for example – they narrowed down the range of signals used and repeated them.
Subtle distinctions
"The different communication strategies employed by the orang-utans in our study demonstrated that our subjects were acting on the mental state of the experimenter," says Cartmill, who designed the experiment to study whether the animals could modify their communication when misunderstood.
The animals showed that they went beyond a "he understands me" versus a "he doesn't understand me" dichotomy, to include more subtle distinctions in knowledge states.
In terms of a theory of mind – the ability to attribute different mental states to others – it's similar to what you would see in young humans, Cartmill says. "Young children do use both persistence and elaboration when they are misunderstood, but may employ slightly different strategies."
The charades strategy used by the orang-utans is a powerful way of selecting effective signals and getting at a specific meaning she says.
Sequences of charade-like behaviour have so far only been observed in zoos, but Cartmill says she expects wild orang-utans to possess the same communication abilities.
"A system for achieving common understanding more quickly by adjusting your communication to how well your recipient understands you would be particularly useful in a semi-solitary species," she says
Cartmill and Byrne tested an adult male, but he was not responsive. Orang-utans have the greatest sex differences of all the apes, so it may not be surprising to see differences in communication behaviour between them, says Cartmill.
Journal reference: Current Biology (DOI: 10.1016/jcub.2007.06.069).
Showing posts with label A Fortiori. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Fortiori. Show all posts
Monday, August 6, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Continuation of 'A fortiori'
After much coxing from Lau, I finally got done with the short write-up on this volunteering program. I have to say, as little as it may seem to Lau, he is a great motivator in this whole process. I was able to find all reasons to push it back, but he was always there to just cox me a lil by lil, saying that it is a dry run, it is gonna be easy. I was expecting too much from myself, but his persuasion made me realized that baby steps is all you need sometime. Lesson we learned in our life.
Back to A Fortiori - here's the write-up
Perhaps innate charge to return to nature fuels my passion for conservation.
Among my closer friends in Singapore, some would be tired of hearing of my inspiration to volunteer, but just couldn’t find any programs to partake in. Then I decided to go for soul search, something that I would be able to just wake up and do it, and do not have any worldly excuse to stop me from accomplishing it. A fortiori, to make a fruitful life out of what I have now.
Teaching Nepalian children at the foothill of Himalaya, volunteering at Acheh tsunami site or mosquitoes-fretted rural towns to work with village kids on their English or conservatory with Orang Asli. Neither piques my fancy. The list went on.
Then I realized if I were to give my time to betterment of the world, why not something for my own country? Charity begins from home! After a long search, the resonating theme was always monkeys or primates, the animals that share the same with the “Homo” as us, yet we can be so different. I just enjoy watching documentary on them: how scientists are always seeking for deeper understanding of these once-our-ancestors, how the pseudo-humans act so much like us, but not exactly us. It fascinates me to see how pristine and pure their behaviour and love are.
There was how my journey with the monkeys started. Google led me to Travellers Worldwide – Orang Utan project at Sepilok. My Sabah network didn’t quite do me any good as Sepilok is very strict about how their volunteers getting in; even WWF Sabah has no pull power through it. I can only get in through Travellers WW, charging £2,900 for this popular program. A year of exploration in Singapore only deepens my passion and makes me search more about this volunteering in Sepilok. It seems incapable to raise SGD9,000. Only when I came to London, the passion slowly re-ignited, after putting some thoughts in it coupled with my resolution of the year: running a marathon! But I was determined to make it happens. As insecure as I was financially, I put down £190.00 of deposit to secure a place in September 2008, the closest date I can get, a month upon reaching England. I know if I don’t take that plunge, I would only be always talking about it, like in Singapore.
Of course, at any fund-raising activities, all you have are tumbling blocks. But I have an angel, Sie Lau, all thanks to Eugene Toh for the introduction. One night of drinking led to great pool of ideas. My initial New York Marathon plan was proved to be too exorbitant as a good platform for fund-raising. So that plan was dropped. Cardiff Half Marathon and Flora London marathon seem more modest in comparison and possibly a more sensible choice as a fund-raising platform. Alongside, Lau and Grace (another wonderful person I met) came out with a splendid idea of open mic with fund-raising initiative at Melaka, which is a newly established Malaysian/Indonesian restaurant at Canary Wharf. Rumour has it that the cook couldn’t be much better than the one with a Michelin star.
Jungle Jam at Melaka was then conceived! People, there is no better time to get to know some of the most talented artists in their own rights coming together to perform under one roof, while ushering with some tantalizing Malaysian food and drinks. Don’t deprive your innate quench for hedoism of life. Plus it is a good excuse to do some charity for Orang Utan Conservation!
Venue: Melaka
27 Ropemaker's Field, off Narrow Street, London E14 8BX
Nearest DLR station; WestFerry
Date: June 10, 2007
Time: 2 – 6 pm
About Sepilok Orang Utan Volunteering Program:
The fund raised would enable me to participate in the project. The fund covers for the adoption of 2 baby orang utans, maintenance of the husbandry of the sanctuary. That accounts for 85% of the amount paid, while the remaining amount would be for my modest lodging and food during the two months I am there volunteering. From my part, I am basically taking two months out of my PhD program to serve the program: taking care of orang utans and their daily cleaning in the sanctuary, habitat surveying for possible rehabilitation of the primates to the wild again and any chores needed from the research group in Sepilok.
Back to A Fortiori - here's the write-up
Perhaps innate charge to return to nature fuels my passion for conservation.
Among my closer friends in Singapore, some would be tired of hearing of my inspiration to volunteer, but just couldn’t find any programs to partake in. Then I decided to go for soul search, something that I would be able to just wake up and do it, and do not have any worldly excuse to stop me from accomplishing it. A fortiori, to make a fruitful life out of what I have now.
Teaching Nepalian children at the foothill of Himalaya, volunteering at Acheh tsunami site or mosquitoes-fretted rural towns to work with village kids on their English or conservatory with Orang Asli. Neither piques my fancy. The list went on.
Then I realized if I were to give my time to betterment of the world, why not something for my own country? Charity begins from home! After a long search, the resonating theme was always monkeys or primates, the animals that share the same with the “Homo” as us, yet we can be so different. I just enjoy watching documentary on them: how scientists are always seeking for deeper understanding of these once-our-ancestors, how the pseudo-humans act so much like us, but not exactly us. It fascinates me to see how pristine and pure their behaviour and love are.
There was how my journey with the monkeys started. Google led me to Travellers Worldwide – Orang Utan project at Sepilok. My Sabah network didn’t quite do me any good as Sepilok is very strict about how their volunteers getting in; even WWF Sabah has no pull power through it. I can only get in through Travellers WW, charging £2,900 for this popular program. A year of exploration in Singapore only deepens my passion and makes me search more about this volunteering in Sepilok. It seems incapable to raise SGD9,000. Only when I came to London, the passion slowly re-ignited, after putting some thoughts in it coupled with my resolution of the year: running a marathon! But I was determined to make it happens. As insecure as I was financially, I put down £190.00 of deposit to secure a place in September 2008, the closest date I can get, a month upon reaching England. I know if I don’t take that plunge, I would only be always talking about it, like in Singapore.
Of course, at any fund-raising activities, all you have are tumbling blocks. But I have an angel, Sie Lau, all thanks to Eugene Toh for the introduction. One night of drinking led to great pool of ideas. My initial New York Marathon plan was proved to be too exorbitant as a good platform for fund-raising. So that plan was dropped. Cardiff Half Marathon and Flora London marathon seem more modest in comparison and possibly a more sensible choice as a fund-raising platform. Alongside, Lau and Grace (another wonderful person I met) came out with a splendid idea of open mic with fund-raising initiative at Melaka, which is a newly established Malaysian/Indonesian restaurant at Canary Wharf. Rumour has it that the cook couldn’t be much better than the one with a Michelin star.
Jungle Jam at Melaka was then conceived! People, there is no better time to get to know some of the most talented artists in their own rights coming together to perform under one roof, while ushering with some tantalizing Malaysian food and drinks. Don’t deprive your innate quench for hedoism of life. Plus it is a good excuse to do some charity for Orang Utan Conservation!
Venue: Melaka
27 Ropemaker's Field, off Narrow Street, London E14 8BX
Nearest DLR station; WestFerry
Date: June 10, 2007
Time: 2 – 6 pm
About Sepilok Orang Utan Volunteering Program:
The fund raised would enable me to participate in the project. The fund covers for the adoption of 2 baby orang utans, maintenance of the husbandry of the sanctuary. That accounts for 85% of the amount paid, while the remaining amount would be for my modest lodging and food during the two months I am there volunteering. From my part, I am basically taking two months out of my PhD program to serve the program: taking care of orang utans and their daily cleaning in the sanctuary, habitat surveying for possible rehabilitation of the primates to the wild again and any chores needed from the research group in Sepilok.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Isn't the world a crazy place?
One of my many reasons that I am doing this...
(Please give some time to watch this MTV, as it really sing a lot of meanings!)
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GRnLPmME2I
Maybe a motivation for you to act now ... to make our world a better place? May it be just a conscientious heart & mind, or better, just a little banter with friends during your Sunday alfresco morning coffee. ... I deeply hope.
(Please give some time to watch this MTV, as it really sing a lot of meanings!)
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GRnLPmME2I
Maybe a motivation for you to act now ... to make our world a better place? May it be just a conscientious heart & mind, or better, just a little banter with friends during your Sunday alfresco morning coffee. ... I deeply hope.
Monday, January 22, 2007
A fortiori
Why I am doing this? (Mind me still under construction. I need some time to phrase it right for my future sponsor, yape u! Just some unpolished thoughts ... )
I am always trying to proof some thing, maybe it to my family, people that put me down, or just myself. I want them or myself to eat the words. I like to prove them wrong when they say I cant do it.
I think that's why I am going for the marathon. It is still unconceivable in my mind that I can do it. I want to do beyond where my comprehension is.
Orang utan conservation has always been at the back of my head, even since young. I just have this thing for apes. I can choose any movies or drama series for apes on national Geographic. yes even grey's anatomy!! I still need to find out why I like them so much. Maybe it is the biologist side of me, primate is the best experimental models! But it is so easy to have skrewd results, because like us, they are largely governed by their emotions that change with their environment. So scientists need to understand primates behavior before any testing can be performed. But remember I am under the conservation program, no matter what, to preserve the species from any activities, including scientific exploration.
I have been fighting these two school of thought nestled deep inside the philosophy of my life. The scientist side of me and the environmentalism side of me. It is because I understand the science, but massively lack of critical apprehension of nature of life. Maybe with my volunteering I can come to understand our ancestral being and see what it is like to be them.
A fortiori, to make a fruitful life out of what I have now.
I am always trying to proof some thing, maybe it to my family, people that put me down, or just myself. I want them or myself to eat the words. I like to prove them wrong when they say I cant do it.
I think that's why I am going for the marathon. It is still unconceivable in my mind that I can do it. I want to do beyond where my comprehension is.
Orang utan conservation has always been at the back of my head, even since young. I just have this thing for apes. I can choose any movies or drama series for apes on national Geographic. yes even grey's anatomy!! I still need to find out why I like them so much. Maybe it is the biologist side of me, primate is the best experimental models! But it is so easy to have skrewd results, because like us, they are largely governed by their emotions that change with their environment. So scientists need to understand primates behavior before any testing can be performed. But remember I am under the conservation program, no matter what, to preserve the species from any activities, including scientific exploration.
I have been fighting these two school of thought nestled deep inside the philosophy of my life. The scientist side of me and the environmentalism side of me. It is because I understand the science, but massively lack of critical apprehension of nature of life. Maybe with my volunteering I can come to understand our ancestral being and see what it is like to be them.
A fortiori, to make a fruitful life out of what I have now.
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