Thursday, June 26, 2008
Upside Down Bonobo
This is one of my favorite bonobo pictures. Lucy, a young bonobo at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is walking upside down along a swinging rope, while carrying a piece of cane in her mouth. Scientists have shown that monkeys can recognize faces as well (or better) upside down as right side up. One could extrapolate that other arboreal animals, such as bonobos, might have the same ability. in contrast, humans (who don't spend much time hanging from ropes or branches) have a hard time recognizing upside down faces.
One interesting note about this photo -- note the white tuft of hairs on Lucy's rump. Bonobos have the white hair as babies but this persists into adulthood with many individuals. This juvenile mark is also seen in chimpanzees, but it almost always disappears as the animals age.
Photo by M. Brickner
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