Kaleb and Lucy are half brother and sister bonobos at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Lucy appears to be checking something out on her thigh; a gesture that has caught the attention of Kaleb. The male has hair loss from over-grooming by the other animals because he is so popular in the group.
From the book, Grains of Golden Sand, "grooming is to clean either oneself—or, more likely another individual—of dried sweat, dirt, skin flakes, loose hair, scabs, lice, nits, and ticks. Not only does grooming clean the body of filth and parasites, but it reaches those hard-to-get-at places and is probably the most relaxing primate activity that exists. It is a generous massage offered by a subservient animal to a dominant one and serves to cement bonds of friendship. Primates groom a lot, and in captivity this behavior may become compulsive, which is one explanation for bald patches on over-groomed zoo apes."
Zoo apes do not have external parasites, but grooming is deeply ingrained. Zoo keepers provide stimulating environments to minimize over-grooming.
Photo by: M. Brickner
No comments:
Post a Comment