Primates and Climate change.

We are about Howler monkeys but we cannot ignore the impact of climate change on other primates. Scientist are telling us that the orangutan will be wiped out by the year 2025. This peril faces all primates. This article published today on BBC is an important warning that we MUST all heed.

Great apes 'facing climate peril'
Great apes are facing an "inevitable crisis" arising from climate change, a leading conservationist has warned.
Dr Richard Leakey said that growing pressure to switch from fossil fuels to biofuels could result in further destruction of the animals' habitats.
The chair of WildlifeDirect called for immediate action and proposed financial incentives to save forests from destruction as one possible solution.
He said: "Climate change will undoubtedly impact everything we know."
The implications for biodiversity are there for all to see
Dr Robert Leakey
The great apes - gorillas, chimps, bonobos and orangutans - are already under threat from habitat destruction, poaching, logging and disease.
The Great Apes Survival Project (Grasp), a United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) initiative, has warned that great apes are at risk of imminent extinction unless drastic action is taken.
Palm oils
In advance of a talk at the UK's Royal Geographical Society, Dr Leakey told journalists that climate threats now had to be added to the mix.
The former director of the Kenyan Wildlife Service said: "I am concerned about the pressures on the land as a result of changes to the climate, but also the pressures on the land in terms of people's reaction to climate change and the shift away from fossil fuels to biofuels."
He said that "great swathes" of forest had already been destroyed in South Asia to make way for palm oil plantations, and this had had a dramatic impact on orangutans, which currently number 50,000.
Palm oil is used in vegetable oil, soaps, shampoos, industrial substances, but it has also been proposed as an alternative to fossil fuel.
Dr Leakey said the growing pressure to turn to biofuels such as palm oil could place the great apes' habitat in further peril.
He added: "People shrug their shoulders and say what are poor countries to do if they cannot exploit their natural resources, and I can understand this, but it is not sustainable the way it is going."
There is also evidence that deforestation would further drive climate change itself by raising the amount of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Dr Leakey said.
New incentives
Dr Leakey suggested "biodiversity credits" could be a possible solution.
"Being paid for not cutting down indigenous forests and getting credit for that is a further step that builds on the idea of getting paid for planting new forests," he explained.
"It does seem that we cannot stop development, but it does also seem that perhaps we can stop development where critical species are threatened, and perhaps there could be a price added to that."
He said that there could be creative ways to solve the problems that climate change could bring, but added that it was crucial that action was taken now.
Dr Leakey told journalists: "Could the great apes go because of climate change? Yes. Possibly not within our lifetime, but what about in 100 or 200 years?
"Climate change is measurable and is happening at rate that is almost unprecedented from what we know in previous history, and the implications for biodiversity are there for all to see."
Richard Leakey is a palaeo-anthropologist, responsible for extensive fossil finds related to human evolution, and renowned Kenyan conservationist. His parents, Louis and Mary Leakey, were prominent palaeontologists, finding and excavating key sites around Africa.
Story from BBC NEWS:

Expressions

I have read many reports about the expressionless faces of Howler Monkeys. I intend to upload a number of photographs which I think give the lie to those comments. Tell me what you think. The comment facility is there for you to use. This is a fun piece not to be taken too seriously. You could try to put a meaning to the expressions. This last picture shows Manina in a playful mood. He has stolen my hat and won't give it back.
Above that picture is Schatov at supper; he really enjoys his late night nosh.
Second from the top Sussy has just been introduced to an official from the Mayors office. She is not a bit impressed by 'Roja Rojita'.
And for the time being our last picture, the one at the top, is Totto and Sophie (left), enjoying a plate of peanuts.

The Howlers monkeys digestive needs..

The drawings you see are a comparison between the stomach of a howler monkey (left) and a human.
Food is vital for life. It provides nutrients for development, maintenance, and reproduction, and is the source of energy that drives the chemical reactions occurring in every cell. However, most food, as it is initially procured, is not in a form suitable for use; it must first be broken down so that it can be transported through cell membranes.
The processes of breaking down food molecules via a system of both mechanical and chemical, is called digestion.

The processes involved in digestion, include, for example, food maceration and enzymatic activity, are common across all vertebrate animals. However, other features of a species gastrointestinal anatomy and digestive system are the result of adaptation to chemical, physical, and nutritional properties of the diet.
The interaction of anatomy, physiology, and ecology are extraordinarily.
complex. Indeed, ‘‘there is a complex interplay between physiology and ecology,
Regardless of this complexity, there is an obvious and apparent relationship between digestion and diet, so that one can be little understood without reference to the other.

Primate species display a diverse array of adaptations in the gut, including anatomical specializations in the stomach, caecum, and colon, as well
as an associated capacity to consume diets that are high in structural carbohydrates (fiber) and to detoxify plant secondary compounds to various degrees.
As a result, we can now evaluate why a primate consumes what it does and why it
might entirely avoid other foods.

SOME BASICS

The gastrointestinal tract, or alimentary canal, is essentially a continuous
tube running through the ventral body cavity and extending from the mouth
to the anus. The gastrointestinal system processes food via four major
activities: Ingestion, in which food is first procured and taken into the body;
digestion, in which food is broken down by both chemical and mechanical processes (including mastication);absorption, in which digested food is
passed to the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems for distribution to cells;
and defecation, in which indigestible products are eliminated from the
body.
The lumen, or hollow core of the alimentary canal, is lined by a
layer of absorptive cells (mucosa), supported on the outside by smooth
muscle and connective tissue containing blood vessels. Differences in the
tissue structure of the wall result in the differentiation of the tract into its major recognizable components, including the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine (cecum and colon).

Primate foods are composed of three major groups of nutrients: Proteins,
lipids (fats), and carbohydrates. In general, the primary chemical role of the
stomach is protein digestion, in which proteins are fragmented by the action
of pepsin, trypsin, and chymotrypsin.



Many plants defend themselves from animal feeding by arming their leaves and other parts with an array of chemical compounds. Because these compounds are the result of secondary processes involved in defense rather than in the primary metabolism that is important for basic processes such as reproduction and growth, they are collectively known as secondary metabolites.96 To date, approximately 12,000 secondary metabolites involved in plant-animal interactions have been identified. These compounds fall roughly into two broad categories: digestion inhibitors, which interfere with the efficiency with which an animal obtains nutrients and toxins; which are harmful to the animal in that they interfere with normal physiology.

Toxic compounds such as alkaloids and cyanogenic glycosides are typically absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and have a specific toxic
effect on the consumer. There are two major ways by which mammals
deal with toxic secondary metabolites, these being microbial activity and microsomal enzymes. In many herbivorous mammals with specialized stomachs (e.g., Colobinae), some toxic secondary metabolites—although certainly not all—can be broken down via a diverse bacterial and protozoan microflora supported in the anaerobic, alkaline stomach environment. Essentially, plant secondary compounds are degraded during fermentation before they are absorbed by the animal.

However, most primates have a fairly simple, acid stomach, and there is no
evidence to suggest that microbial detoxification can take place in an acid
stomach.

Digestion of lipids occurs almost entirely in the small intestine.1 It is in the
digestion of carbohydrates, particularly complex carbohydrates, where
we see gastrointestinal specializations in primates and other mammals, especially in the stomach and large intestine.

In primates, as in other plant-eating vertebrates, digestion of structural carbohydrates is carried out by symbiotic microorganisms that live in the digestive tracts of their hosts. In a process known as fermentation, cellulolytic bacteria degrade the structural components of plant cell walls. As a byproduct of this activity, the bacteria release volatile fatty acids, (VFAs) also known as short-chain fatty acids. The host animal uses these acids, among them acetic, propionic, and butyric acid, as readily available energy in the bloodstream or, ultimately, glucose storage in the liver.9,24 Other end products of While some invertebrates are known to contain the cellulose-digesting enzyme cellulase in their intestinal tracts, no vertebrate produces this enzyme. This is an intriguing fact, given that so many vertebrates, including primates, rely heavily on plant material as their main energy source.

Monkeys are part of a grander design

A small piece of red fur is offered for sale at the roadside. Where does he come from and where is he going?
Our photograph shows the tools of the pirate’s trade, shotguns and catapults. They scavenge the forest for young monkeys here in Venezuela. The mother carrying child is shot and the baby falls to the ground. Frequently the child is also killed but there is always another in the next tree. We have found baby monkeys that were barely alive and with horrible wounds on the forest floor. This note was inspired by a surfing session about Howler Monkeys. I came across a letter by a woman who had obtained a howler monkey. The substance of her complaint was that the monkey cried continuously. This lady has tried to put all kinds of interpretation on the loud crying and asks her readers if they have any suggestions on how to quieten it. He/she is not crying because he is hungry and probably at this stage he/she will not eat. He is not crying because of the new surroundings although because of our great relative size, he finds us quite threatening. Young howlers challenge their fears and hardly know cowardice. He is crying because he wants his mother. There is no going back. He cannot be returned to the wild because his mother is dead. He may cry almost continuously for two weeks. This can be more or less. With patience he will accept you and even bond to you. The crying will ultimately stop. The question remains, what reason did the woman have for selecting a howler monkey in the first place?
Even when very young the howler’s teeth are very sharp. He will bite first and ask questions later. He will always be a threat to women and young children. All monkeys bite and even when their teeth have been removed they can still inflict serious wounds. The older they become the more aggressive they are. They are just following the forest law which determines their survival in the wild.
We have a monkey here in our shelter whose canine teeth were removed as well as his testicles, by the loving owner. He is rejected by the females in the group and we have to give him extra care and support.
Purchasing an infant primate is always consumerism supporting an unscrupulous illegal trade.
Raised by humans, the baby monkeys never have the chance to develop as they should, so often they become psychologically maladjusted. They have little or no chance of leading life in accordance with their instincts as nature intended. The logic is flawed; they never become a safe companion. Howler monkeys are a poor choice of pet. They are part of a much grander design that includes humans but only as a element of their evolution. I wonder how many people realize that when they ‘adopt’ a howler that they are taking on a responsibility for at least twenty years.
Leave them where they belong and do not disturb them or their habitat.

Don't panic

I am working on something special for you. Publish tomorrow or Sunday

Philip

Alouatta seniculus

Alouatta seniculus
(red howler monkey)
Alouatta seniculus have the widest geographical distribution of all the New World primates. Red howler monkeys range throughout the northern half of South America, from Colombia to Bolivia.
Physical Description
Alouatta seniculus are slightly sexually dimorphic. Females have a body length of 46-57 centimeters; males, which are larger, have a body length of 49-72 cm. Both sexes have a long, prehensile tail of approximately 49-75 cm. The coat color of males and females is a deep reddish-brown, although the shade varies slightly with age. Red howlers have a large neck with tremendous lower jaw and hyroid bones, giving them a forbidding expression.

Reproduction
Due to such an unbalanced sex ratio, fierce sexual competition exists between and within red howler troops. Red howler males, which are expelled from their natal troop upon reaching sexual maturity, are forced to invade an outside group and gain admittance. Once they have accomplished this, they violently kill any infants present in the group. By killing infants in a newly invaded troop, a male can mate quickly and ensure that the new offspring of the group are his own. Mothers do try to protect their offspring against assaulting males. Unfortunately for the female, this is not particularly successful; less than 25% of offspring survive a male howler invasion.
The mating behavior of red howlers is another interesting aspect of their social interactions. Males and females often form consortships, an unusually close spatial relationship, before any sexual exchange has begun. Once these associations are established, sexual solicitations begin. Although seductive behaviors can be performed by both sexes, the female most often takes on the aggressive role. When attempting to attract a male, the female approaches him and moves her torque rhythmically. The male may respond the same way, but if he does not, the female may simply try to entice another male.
Alouatta seniculus appears to breed throughout the year. However, in two habitats in Venezuela, the birth frequency is reduced during the early wet season, May through July. The estrous cycle ranges from 16-20 days, with the female being receptive for 2-4 days. Red howler females give birth for the first time around 5 years of age, while males usually do not father an offspring until approximately 7 years. Therefore, a female reaches sexual maturity a couple of years before a male.

Newborn A. seniculus are at first quite helpless and are carried around at the mother's belly. Young red howlers begin using their prehensile tails before they are one month old. An infant uses its tail to secure itself to its mother, for in this stage of its life the mother pays little or no attention to her offspring, and fails to give the baby any assistance!
Parental investment:
pre-fertilization (provisioning, protecting: female); pre-hatching/birth (provisioning: female, protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: female); extended period of juvenile learning.
Behavior
Red howler monkeys live in relatively large social groups, consisting of approximately 10 individuals, with only one or perhaps two of the individuals being males. Alouatta seniculus exhibit many interesting behaviors. They are most famous for their "dawn chorus", a deafening roar that can be heard up to 5 kilometers away! These resonating howls, performed primarily by the males of a group, are answered by all other howler troops within ear shot. This way, one troop can constantly inform another of its precise location, thus avoiding an energetically costly squabble over resources.
During parturition, a newborn usually becomes the focus of attention of several other females. Typically, it is females without infants of their own that are attracted to these infants. In these instances, the females are extremely gentle with the little ones, touching them with their muzzles and hands. They may even occasionally encourage the infant to crawl on them. Males also are known to tolerate the activities of infant howlers in their troop. Similar to the adult females, the male red howlers also allow the infants to climb all over them. This of course takes place long after the male has killed all offspring that are not his own.
Food Habits
Alouatta seniculus are primarily folivorous. Leaves are low in nutrients and sugars in comparison with other food choices, and red howler monkeys have two large sections in their hindgut which contain the bacteria needed to digest the cellulose in leaves. This change in anatomy results in a large gut that occupies one-third of their total body volume. In addition, their extremely deep lower jaw bones aid red howlers in chewing. Alouatta seniculus also improve their digestive efficiency by feeding primarily on tender young leaves and on some species of leaves that are unusually nutritious. In addition, they eat sugary fruits and flowers when these are available, but can sustain themselves for weeks at a time on only leaves, providing these are high in quality. Alouatta seniculus spend almost their entire lives near the top canopy of the forest, where such leaves are most abundant .
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Due to their relatively large size, A. seniculus, along with other howler species, are hunted for food and are subject to commercial export.
Conservation Status
Although several other Alouatta species are endangered, A. seniculus has no special conservation status. However, red howlers have become rarer in some areas, most likely due to the destruction of their habitat. Fortunately, they are still abundant in Brazil.
Other Comments
Red howlers have an amusing reaction to rainy days during the tropical wet season. In response to heavy rains, they howl, either at the onset, or often at the sound of approaching rain, and sit hunched over until the rain ends!
Red howler monkeys have overcome problems that are usually associated with having leaves as a principle food source, including their specialized jaw and stomach structures. Behaviorally, they (along with the other species in their genus) are unique in that they have developed the loudest vocalization of any animal in the New World. These adaptations have aided them in becoming an extremely successful primate--and yet they are still able to sleep for more than 15 hours a day!

Blessing animals

If you scan the web, you will find that many churches now are holding blessing services for pets. The usual date for this is the Sunday nearest the fourth of October, which is St. Francis of Assisi’s day. Some sites on the web give a complete liturgy and order of service for the blessing. One site describes the progress to the altar, of horses and dogs, parrots, pigs, and well why not, monkeys. This is of course controversial. Are we just blessing as we would bless the corn, or the harvest? Or are we going much further than that and saying that we recognize that animals have an immortal soul and that one day we will be together again in another place? I have read the work of some very learned theologians that define what is meant by a soul. They argue that the bible makes it clear that God created man in his own image and therefore he has an immortal soul. I am of course making the point very briefly. They argue from this that animals cannot have a soul because they were not created in the likeness of God. I consider this to be a very spacious argument. Well of course a couple of points arise. One is that I don’t find anywhere in the scriptures where it tells us that you must be created in the likeness of God to have a soul. The argument becomes even more tenuous when you realize that we, the human race are descended from Monkeys. Now there is no doubt about that one. If we have an immortal soul we inherited from our beloved friend the Ape. I say go with confidence to a service of blessing for our pets, monkeys in particular, in the sure knowledge that we will meet again in the kingdom of the hereafter.
I love the reasoning in the Fitzgerald translation of the Omar Khayyam Paragraphs 61 and 62. Where it says and I quote:

There said another, surely not in vain
My substance from the common earth was ta’en
That he who subtly wrought me into shape
Should stamp me back to common earth again.

Another said, why ne’er a peevish boy
Would break the bowl from which he’d drank in joy
Shall he that made the vessel in pure love
And fansy, in an after rage destroy?

Wonderful and profound those lines. Try downloading the whole poem.