Explore the world of primates with this comprehensive course where you will learn about the various types of primates; their physical and behavioural characteristics, diet and reproduction.
You will learn about primates both in the wild and in captivity and the implications of human intervention.
Course Content
Course Duration - 100 hours
There are 10 lessons in this course:
- Introduction to Primates –scope, nature, anatomy & physiology, evolution and taxonomy
- Order Primates
- Distinguishing Characteristics of Primates
- Taxonomy of Primates
- New World and Old World Monkeys
- Anatomy and Physiology
- The Strepsirhines
- Family Daubentoniidae
- Family Lorisidae (or Loridae)
- Family Galagidae (syn. Galagonidae)
- Family Lemuridae
- Extinct Families
- Examples Of Living Groups
- The Haplorhines
- Family Cebidae
- Family Tarsiidae
- Family Callitrichidae
- Family Atelidae
- Family Cercopithecidae
- Family Hylobatidae
- Family Pongidae
- Family Hominidae
- Tarsiers
- Baboons
- Drills
- Macaques
- Mangabey Monkeys
- Vervet Monkeys
- Marmosets
- Capuchins
- True Spider Monkeys
- Guenon Monkeys
- Patas Monkeys
- Diet and Nutrition re environment feed and supplements in a nature park environment
- Nutritional Requirements of Primates
- Physiological Adaptations to Different Diets
- Health - Illness Pests and diseases specific to above
- Exercise
- Observation and Assessment of Health or Condition
- Common Illnesses
- Pathogenic
- Disease and Primate Conservation
- First Aid on Humans Exposed to NHP Injuries or Body Fluids
- Primate Behaviour in the Wild
- Social Behaviour
- Social Group Composition
- What are the benefits of living in groups for primates?
- Physical Environment
- Communication
- Behaviours
- Psychological Wellbeing in Primates in Captivity
- Recognising Abnormal Behaviour
- The Primate as a Pet
- Social Deprivation and Primates
- Abnormal Behaviour in Captivity
- Self-Harm in Primates in Captivity
- Foraging For Food
- Managing Boredom
- Learning and Training Primates
- Handling Primates
- Sedation
- Breeding programmes and optimum resources needed for this
- Primate Groups
- Gregarious Primates
- Fertility and Reproduction
- Breeding and Conceiving
- Pregnancy and Birth
- Conservation in the wild -of individual breeds?
- Conservation Status of Primate Species
- Susceptibility to Extinction
- Unique Problems
- What Animals are most Endangered?
- Recovery Programmes
- Managing primates in Captivity
- Primates in captivity
- Enclosure Design
- Transporting Primates
- Reasons and Ethics of Keeping Primates in Captivity
- Risks Working With Primates
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
WHAT ARE PRIMATES?
Primates are a diverse group and one of the oldest orders of mammals. They include prosimians, monkeys, apes and humans.
Primates evolved from small arboreal (tree dwelling) ancestors. The fact that most primates remained in trees as they evolved is thought to have kept them from danger. Trees offer protection from predators and a reliable source of food (vegetation, insects, etc.). Primates which occupy the ground today are generally large in size or human.
To stop them from falling, tree dwelling primates evolved hands rather than claws, as in other arboreal animals, for grasping branches firmly. This adaptation also had a secondary value, allowing primates the ability to hold and manipulate objects more precisely than other animals.
With more useable hands, primates were better able to jump from branch to branch. To jump more effectively, primates would then need better eyesight; a better sense of touch; and greater intelligence to make faster decisions as they moved through the trees.
Distinguishing Characteristics of Primates:
- They possess a large brain relative to body size. The cerebral cortex (neocortex) which is responsible for such processes as memory, language, consciousness and attention is particularly large.
- The middle ear is enclosed by a skeleton (Petrosal bulla).
- Usually only two mammary glands.
- Primates usually only have one baby per pregnancy. They also have a slower rate of development, late sexual maturity and longer lives.
- Tendency to hold the body trunk upright, leading to some being bipedal in movement (walking on hind legs) e.g., Humans, gorillas.
- A clavicle or collar bone which is an important component of the shoulder. The presence of a clavicle allows primates to hang from one arm, an ability used by primates such as gibbons to travel from tree to tree.
- Sexual dimorphism in body mass and the size of the canine teeth.
- Presence of shoulder joint and elbow joint (allows more flexible movement of limbs)
- Commonly five useable digits on all four limbs; and enhanced digital dexterity along with opposable thumbs, which assists with grasping objects.
- Claws have been replaced by flattened nails made of keratin on at least one digit.
- Sensitive ends to the digits
- Fewer teeth than more primitive mammals. The cheek teeth are bunodont (low and rounded) and brachyodont (unusually short), with four cusps, adapted mainly for grinding and occasional shearing.
- Jaws that move vertically mainly, with limited horizontal movement, in contrast to other mammals
- Complex eye sight, forward-facing eyes which provide binocular vision. This allows primates to better perceive distances, move through trees and handle food.
- The eye socket is also backed up by a superior back bone (postorbital bar).
- Smaller nose than many other mammals, as they rely more on sight than smell. Consequently, the olfactory brain areas (olfactory lobes) are reduced.
- Tails are absent in apes and humans, but present in some species such as the monkeys and lemurs. The tail in these species provides balance when moving through trees.
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