Bryce Murray
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Laura MacLatchy
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Anthropology / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 3 – 1:40pm – 2:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Bryce Murray, Lauren Sarringhaus
Presenter: 62
Abstract
Chimpanzees are human’s closest living relatives, so studies of their behavior can provide a new perspective on our own. Locomotor patterns in chimpanzees offer insight on more complex social behaviors, like play and risk-seeking. We sought to develop a method for quantifying risk predilection with locomotor behavior during vertical ascent and descent in wild chimpanzee populations at Ngogo, in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Individuals were filmed over a period of two months, and the recordings were coded for multiple variables, including the behavioral modes and submodes, focal height, and context. Leap and drop were considered inherently “riskier†than other behavioral modes because of the sustained period of free flight, which was determined “high risk†when at a focal height of at least 4 meters. The incidences of leap and drop were compiled and compared between age and sex classes. Females were considered both as a whole and divided into those with and without an infant present. The total proportion of leaps and drops out of all modes collected decreased with age group, being significantly higher in the juvenile and infant group than the adult group. The proportion of “high risk†leaps and drops out of all “high risk†modes collected was significantly higher in the adolescent group than the adult group, only– likely due to the small sample size. Differences in these proportions were insignificant for all comparisons by sex. While preliminary, these findings could reflect patterns of play as practice. Important conclusions about risk will come with a more refined model. Deciphering how human’s closest living relatives navigate a vastly different and ecologically complex substrate environment could uncover novel factors in human risk-seeking behavior.
Interdisciplinary, Social Sciences
