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NON-HUMAN PRIMATE BEHAVIOUR STUDY
Submitted by:
ID NO. 100122270410
REG NO. 10012227214000410
YEAR: 2012-2013
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TOPIC:
NON-HUMAN PRIMATE BEHAVIOUR STUDY
Submitted For
The partial fulfilment of
M.sc 1st semester examination
Course: 227104: PRACTICAL
West Bengal State University
Presented & Submitted by:
ID NO. 100122270410
REG NO. 10012227214000410
YEAR: 2012-2013
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THE ASSAM MACAQUE
(Macaca assamensis)
The Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) is a macaque of the old
world monkey family native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008,
the species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, as it is experiencing
significant declines due to hunting, habitat degradation and
fragmentation.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Assam macaque has yellowish-grey to dark brown pelage.
The facial skin is dark brownish to purplish.
The head has a dark fringe of hair on the cheeks directed
backwards to the ears.
The hair on the crown is parted in the middle. Shoulders, head and arms tend to be paler than hindquarters,
which are greyish
The tail is well-haired and short.
Head-to-body-length measures 51 to 73.5 cm (20 to 28.9 in)
with a 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 12 in) long tail. Adult weight is 5 to
10 kg (11 to22 lb).
Group sizes range from 10 to 50 individuals in the world. This is
a diurnal species.
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DISTRIBUTION
The assamese macaque is found in the countries of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos, Nepal, Thailand and
Vietnam. This species is found in various forest habitats throughout
its range, from montane forests to semideciduous forests. There is a
gap in the northeastern India between the two main population
pockets, specifically between central Bhutan and the south side of
the Brahmaputre River; the east bank of its upper course marks the
division between the two recognized subspecies.
The Eastern Assamese macaque, Macaca assamensis
assamensis, occurs in Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and
Tripura in northeastern India, into northern mayanmar,
southeast through the Mayanmar- Thailand border
ranges as far as Chongkrong, to the upper Mekong in
Tibet, into the provinces of Guangxi, Guizhou, Tibet andYunnam in southweastern China, in Thateng in northern
Laos, and Hoi Xuan in northern Vietnam;
The Western Assamese macaque macaca assamensis
pelops, is found from central Nepal through Uttar
Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam and northernmost West Bengal in
northern India, into central Bhutan and the Sundarbans in
Bangladesh.
They are apparently absent from areas west of the
kaligandaki River. In India, they live in tropical and
subtropical semi-evergreen forests, dry deciduous and
montane forests, from the sea level to altitudes of 4,000
metres (13,000 ft). They usually inhabit hill areas above
1,000 m (3,300 ft), but in the wetter east they may occur
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even in the lowlands and frequent areas that only
marginally reach this altitude. In Laos and Vietnam they
prefer high altitudes, usually above 500 m (1,600 ft.). In
forests on limestone karst, they occur in much lowerelevation.
MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURESMorphological variation within and among macaque species tends
to conform to ecogeographic patterns.
This species has cheek pouches to carry food in while
it forages
The average boddy mass for an adult male assamesemacaque is around 7 kilograms, and for the females it
is 5 kilograms.
This species has a short tail and there is no hair on the
face.
The pelage color ranges from dark to yellowish-
brown.
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SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Behaviour includes locomotion (running, jumping, walking and
climbing) and specifies of foraging behaviour. Socio-biological
principles give us the tools to objectively investigate these things,
but we should not be blinded by the perfection of the method. And
like most of these things, it is open to interpretation too. The
assamese macaque has a multimale-multifemale social system.
Females remain in their natal group with the onset of maturity, but
males will disperse shortly before adolescence. There is ahierarchical system amongst group members based upon the
matriline.
Assam macaques are
Group sizes varied between 13 to35 individuals with a
mean group size of 23.66 individuals, and comprised
31% adult females, 16% adult males and their young of
various ages.
Reciprocity and social bonding hypotheses were evaluated as
explanations for observed patterns of social grooming in assamese
macaques (Macaca assamensis). In accordance with social bonding,
females, as the long-term residents of this matrifocal group,
groomed each other and juveniles more often than males groomed
one another or juveniles. On the other hand, males groomed females
more often and for longer durations than females groomed males
and, whereas both males and females groomed juveniles more often
than juveniles groomed them, juveniles groomed their elders for
longer durations. Male grooming for females did not seem directly
related to matings as males are single mount ejaculators and use
coercive mating tactics. Male grooming of females could not be
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accounted for in terms of reciprocity; it was not a simple function of
dominance. Although both sexes groomed subordinate females more
than vice versa, males groomed dominant males more and females
groomed subordinate males more than they received grooming fromthem. Grooming was concluded to function to establish and maintain
affiliative social bonds rather than as a specific mechanism to obtain
matingns or any other specific reciprocation in terms of services or
favors.
COMMUNICATIONS
o VOCAL COMMUNICATION:
scream calls: this call is given by the assamese macaque when they
approached by a non-group conspecific.
o VISUAL COMMUNICATION:
Fear grimace: the lips are retracted so that the teeth are shown; the
teeth are clenched together (Estes, 1991). This display functions as
an appeasement signal to reduce aggression in aggressive
encounters (Estes, 1991).
FOOD
The assamese macaque consumes fruits, leaves, insects and small
mammals; this species especially likes to eat immature leaves. They
are omnivorous and feed on fruits, leaves, invertebrates and
cereals. They preferred maize cobs followed by potato tubers, but
also raided fields with wheat, buck wheat and millet.
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LOCOMOTION
The assamese macaque is a quadrupedal species (Fleagle, 1988).
This Primate species move by branchiation, bipedalism, leaping,
arboreal and terrestrialquadrupedalism, climbing, knuckle-walking
or by a combination of these methods.
PHLOGENETIC POSITION
Kingdom: animalia
Class: mammalian
Order: primates
Family: cercopithecidae
Genus: macaca
Species: assamensis
Scientific Name: macaca assamensis
OBJECT OF STUDY
We can compare the inter relationship between the human
ancestors and contemporary primates bio-cultural features. It
probably shows a woodland species characters which was
omnivorous though mainly vegetarian, showing some sharing
behaviour. Grouping behaviour would have depended on diet and
habitat. Sexual relationships might have varied from relatively
exclusive to more promiscuous and it is quite likely that there would
have been ‘friendships’.
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AREA OF STUDY
Alipore zoological garden. The Alipore Zoological Gardens
(also informally called the Alipoor Zoo or KolkataZoo) is India’s
largest and oldest formally started zoological park (as opposed to
royal and British menegeries) and a big tourists attraction in
Kolkata, West Bengal. It has been open as a zoo since 1876, and
covers 45 acres (18 ha).
METHOD OF STUDY
We study the primate behaviour on Assamese macaque in 10 to 15focal and with 5 interval in each focal.
OUR STUDY
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
For the study of non-human social behaviour we went to
alipore Zoological Garden under the supervision of Dr. Subir Biswas(Head of Dpt. Of Anthropology in W.B.B.S.U.). We selected
assamese macaque for the Study of non human social behaviour.
We study the primate behaviour on Assamese macaque in 12 focal
and with 5 interval in each focal. 12 focals are mentioned below-
FOCAL-1TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME
(S)
Locomotion Do Both 0.00 0.17 17
10 Sitting Do - 0.18 0.34 17
12.05 Years Locomotion Do Both 0.35 0.50 16
To Sitting Do - 0.51 1.10 20
12.10 Male Eating Do Right 1.11 1.20 10
Locomotion Do Both 1.21 2.30 70
Sitting Do - 2.31 4.30 120Locomotion Do Both 4.31 5.00 30
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FOCAL-2TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)Locomotion Do Both 0.00 0.20 TIME
10 Eating Do Left 0.21 0.37 15
12.15 Years Sitting Do - 0.36 0.50 15
To Eating Do Left 0.51 1.10 30
12.20 Male Sittting Do - 1.21 3.50 150
Locomotion Do Both 3.51 5.00 70
FOCAL-3TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
12.25 10 Eating Do Right 0.00 1.20 80
To Years Sitting Do - 1.21 4.00 160
12.30 Male Locomotion Do Both 4.01 5.00 60
FOCAL-4TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
12.35 10 Hoping Do Both 0.00 2.20 140
To Years Sitting Do - 1.21 4.00 100
12.40 Male Locomotion Do Both 4.01 5.00 60
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FOCAL-5TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)12.45 10 Sitting Do - 0.00 3.50 230
To Years Hoping Do - 3.51 4.10 20
12.50 Male Locomotion Do Both 4.11 5.00 50
FOCAL-6TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
Locomotion Do Both 0.00 0.25 25
10 Sitting Do - 0.26 0.57 32
12.55 Years Locomotion Do Both 0.58 1.02 5
To Grooming Do - 1.03 1.10 8
1.00 Male Locomotion Do Both 1.11 2.30 80
Sitting Do - 3.31 5.00 150
FOCAL-7TIME AGE &
SEXACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HANDTIME(IN)
TIME(OUT)
TOTALTIME (S)
Sitting Do - 0.00 0.25 25
1.05 10 Locomotion Do Both 0.26 0.57 32
To Years Sitting Do - 0.58 1.02 5
1.10 Hoping Do Both 1.03 1.10 8
Male Locomotion Do Both 1.11 2.30 80
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FOCAL-8
TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
Locomotion Do Both 0.00 1.20 80
10 Sitting Do - 1.21 2.20 60
1.15 Years Standing Do Both 2.21 2.25 5
To Locomotion Do - 2.26 3.20 55
1.20 Male Sitting Do Both 3.21 4.20 60
Hoping Do - 4.21 5.00 40
FOCAL-9
TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
10 Hoping Do Both 0.00 2.10 1301.25 Years Sitting Do - 2.11 2.20 10
To Locomotion Do Both 2.21 4.00 100
1.30 Male Sitting Do - 4.01 5.00 60
FOCAL-10
TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
Sitting Do - 0.00 1.10 70
1.35 10 Lying on the
floor
Do - 1.11 2.10 60
To Years Grooming Do Right 2.11 2.50 40
1.40 Sitting Do - 2.51 3.30 40
Male Locomotion Do Both 3.31 5.00 90
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FOCAL-11TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
Sitting Do - 0.00 1.00 60
1.45 10 Locomotion Do Both 1.01 2.20 80To Years Sitting Do - 2.21 3.50 90
1.50 Male Hoping Do Both 3.51 4.10 20
Sitting Do - 4.11 5.00 50
FOCAL-12
TIME AGE &
SEX
ACTIVITIES RESULT USE OF
HAND
TIME
(IN)
TIME
(OUT)
TOTAL
TIME (S)
Sitting Do - 0.00 1.00 60
1.55 10 Locomotion Do Both 1.01 2.20 80
To Years Sitting Do - 2.21 3.50 90
2.00 Male Hoping Do Both 3.51 4.10 20
Sitting Do - 4.11 5.00 50
Their all activities (in second)
0
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1400
1600
1800
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OBSERVATION:
Our study was held on 31st December between12:05 to 1:05. We observed that he spend their maximum time
in sitting and locomotion. Hoping is frequent in him. Sometime,
he was eating grass. Grooming was not so common in him.
REFERRENCES:
1. ^ Groves, c. (2005). Wilson, D. E., & Reeder, D. M, eds. Ed.
Mammal Species of the World(3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns
Hopkins University Press. pp. 161. OCLC 62265494. ISBN 0-801-
88221-4.
2. ^a b c d Boonratana, R., Chalise, M., Das, J., Htun, S. And
Timmins, R. J. (2008). "Macaca assamensis". IUCN Red List ofThreatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for
Conservation of Nature.
3. ^ Francis, C. M. (2008) A field guide to the mammals of
South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 1845377354
4. ^Groves, C. P. (2001) Primate taxonomy. Smithsonian
Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA.
5. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam_macaque
6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Assam_Macaque_area.png
7. www.theprimata.com/macaca_assamensis.html