Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons^™

A Comprehensive Forensic Case Report For The University Of Montana Forensic Collection Case #141, Nohely Gonzalez

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In order to satisfy the requirements for the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Forensic Anthropology, this professional project will examine the human skeletal remains of UMFC Case #141. This professional paper consists of the various and diverse range of forensic methods employed in order to gain insight into the biological profile of the individual such as age, sex, ancestry, stature, trauma and pathology, in addition to a skeletal inventory of the skeletal remains and an assessment of the minimum number of individuals (MNI) represented in this case.

The human skeletal remains of UMFC Case #141 are consistent with that …

Effect Of Group Size On The Activity Budget Of Two Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Kaeley Sullins

All Master's Theses

Captive facilities housing chimpanzees are required to provide adequate care and provisions such as dietary, social, and environmental enrichment to promote the psychological well-being of the apes in their care. Chimpanzees are social creatures and changes in groups as well as relocation to a facility with new social partners, can impact each individual chimpanzee’s welfare. By tracking each chimpanzee’s activity budgets, managers can assess welfare and make improvements or adjustments if necessary. I looked at the activity budgets of two captive chimpanzees after the death of a group member and the two chimpanzees’ subsequent relocation to a novel, more socially …

The Activity Budgets Of Captive Javan Gibbons (Hylobates Moloch) And Their Response To Visitor Presence Or Absence, Kalli Kohnen

All Master's Theses

Anthropogenic stress can negatively impact the health of captive animals. Visitors may be a source of stress to captive animals in zoos and sanctuaries. Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch) are endangered, and healthy captive populations are important to the species’ conservation. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of visitor presence on the activity budgets of captive Javan gibbons. Using continuous sampling, I recorded the activity budgets of 10 Javan gibbons housed at the Gibbon Conservation Center (GCC) in Santa Clarita, California. I collected data in the mornings, middays, and afternoons on visitor days and non-visitor …

The Effect Of Sound On Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Grace Coffman

All Master's Theses

Sound exposure can have detrimental physiological and psychological effects on humans, but effects on nonhuman primates are not as well understood. Captive chimpanzees are exposed to markedly different acoustic environments than their wild counterparts. This study assessed the organic soundscape of a chimpanzee sanctuary, the Fauna Foundation, in Carignan, Québec, Canada. Noninvasive, observational data collection assessed for frequency of behavior and correlations between chimpanzee behavioral categories, arousal level, and decibel level. Agonistic behavior occurred more frequently in the highest decibel level category. There was a positive correlation between decibel level and arousal level. These findings suggest the need for increased …

Evaluations Of Health In Sympatric Free-Ranging Saguinus Imperator And Leontocebus Weddelli Using Neopterin, Urinalysis, And Blood Chemistry Analyses, Alexandra J. Sacco

All Master's Theses

This thesis is composed of one journal-ready article and one chapter that includes a preliminary interpretation of data for later publication. In summary, this thesis proposes the use of three different methods of evaluating the health status of New World Monkeys: urinary neopterin measurement, blood chemistry analyses, and urinalysis. Chapter II addresses the question of whether or not the neopterin molecule, a biomarker for cell-mediated immune system activation, is conserved across primate taxa. To do so, we collected urine samples across three New World Monkey (NWM) families including captive Leontopithecus rosalia and Pithecia pithecia, and wild populations of Leontocebus …

Gorilla-Visitor Interface At A Zoo Exhibit: Positioning Effects Of Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla) And Zoo Visitors, Alan Bergman

All Master's Theses

Zoos have missions to provide high-quality care for their animals and an enjoyable and educational experience for visitors. Looking at the animal-visitor interface can allow zoos to evaluate their success in these efforts and to build upon what they have already accomplished. The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between visitors and gorillas in a zoo environment. The effect of gorilla proximity to visitor viewing areas on visitor attentiveness was examined in indoor and outdoor gorilla exhibits. Visitor experience surveys were collected from visitors exiting the outdoor exhibit. Stepwise multiple regressions revealed group and individual gorilla proximity effects …