MOM 2006 journal for pdf.pmd - University of Michigan-Flint

and several immobilizations, the DZI was not sure what caused the illness. It appeared to be a
stroke or spinal damage but could have been viral. Imara spent most of his time keeping Bahati
company as he recovered. Occasionally, the females would rotate in to see Bahait, and Imara
would be with the females. However, Imara was never with Beauty.
Reintroductions too place in early fall 2005. During the winter 2006 semester, I observed the
social behavior of the reintroduced chimpanzees. In this study, I focus on the behavioral
strategies of a younger male, Imara, when confronted by older dominant females.
Methods and Materials
Study Site
A total of 20 hours of observations were made between January and March 2006 at the Detroit
Zoological Institute located in Royal Oak, MI. The observations were made between the hours of
12:00 pm and 3:00 pm when the troop is most active. The indoor enclosure measures 18 ft by 45
ft by 58 ft by 13 ft by 63 ft (Figure 1). A concrete ledge 15 ft from the floor surrounds the exhibit
on all sides except the keeper and public observation areas. The total height of the exhibit is 25
ft. Several artificial, concrete trees are within the enclosure. My indoor observation took place
from the public observation area. The outdoor area is a little more than two acres. The outdoor
exhibit has a varied elevation savanna landscape. The ground was covered with abundant grasses
of various lengths and many other wildflowers and plants. Some trees, both real and artificial,
are found in the landscape.
58 feet
13 feet
45 feet
(keeper observation area)
63 feet
18 feet
(public observation area)
Figure 1 Area of the indoor Chimps of Harambee exhibit at the Detroit Zoological Institute
Ethogram
A behavior inventory was modified from The Chimpanzoo Observers Guide (A Program of the
Jane Goodall Institute) to categorize the behavior of the primate subject, Imara (Table 2). By
categorizing behaviors, the observer will gain knowledge about how the subject acts in the
environment, with other individuals, and in solitary.
Meeting of Minds 2006
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