Anthropology Zoo Assignment(BIOANTHROPOLOGY)

For this reflection, I would like to explore the differences and similarities I observed of the gorillas and the patas monkeys. There is one obvious difference between these two species, and that is their size. Gorillas are giants in comparison to the patas monkeys, which I noticed appeared to make a difference in their speed. Gorillas are much slower than the patas monkeys. In addition, the large hands and longer arms than legs of gorillas allow for knuckle-walking and fist-walking. While both of these species are quadrupedal, which is really the only true similarity I saw between these two species, however, patas monkeys do not use knuckle-walking and move much differently than gorillas. In addition, patas monkeys seem to be much more social than gorillas. When I observed the gorillas, they seemed to each be doing their own thing. The older gorilla was sitting and eating for the majority of my observation, while the younger, smaller, gorilla was playful and seemed to be putting on a show for the crowd. In contrast, patas monkeys were very social with one another, groomed each other, and stayed in groups for the majority of my observation.

From completing this assignment, I learned that although two species may belong to the same kingdom, phylum, class, and order, they can be very different from one another. Also, I learned that larger size typically allows for slower movement, while smaller size usually results in quick movements. The difference in limb length can also make a difference in locomotion. For example, gorillas have long arms and shorter legs, which causes them to move quadrupedally and use their hands for knuckle-walking. In comparison, primates with long arms and long legs may still move quadrupedally, however, they don’t necessarily have to depend on their knuckles or fists for movement. Most humans have longer legs than arms, so it makes sense that we rely on our legs for walking, rather than our hands and fists. Additionally, I noticed that the smaller primates I observed appeared to be much more social than the large gorillas. Perhaps because of their size, they had to rely on each other for warmth, rather than producing their own warmth. Smaller primates also seemed to have much more playful personalities. When you compare these patterns to humans, it’s hard to say if the size of a human has any determination on their social patterns, except of course when speaking about the dependence of a child on their parents. Personally, I fluctuate between being social and isolating, depending on my mood. I’ve noticed similar patterns in many of my friends and family.