Comparative Primate Blog Post

A. Environment

Lemurs: Lemurs are a type of primate that can only be found in Madagascar and the Comores Islands. Lemurs live in various habitats within these rainforest-like locations. Some lemurs prefer to live in the heart of the damp rainforest, while others prefer to reside in drier areas that resemble deserts.

Spider Monkey: Another primate that tends to live in the rain forests is the spider monkey. Spider monkeys live in tropical rainforests located in central and south America and can be found in far north as Mexico. Rain forests are ideal environments for these monkeys because of their vast number of tall trees, where spider monkeys create their habitats.  

Baboon: All five different species of Baboons can only be found in Arabia and Africa. These monkeys prefer to live in the Savanna, or other semi-arid habitats. Though, a few of them prefer the rainforest as well. 

Gibbon: These swinging monkeys reside in Southern Asia. They live in the trees and are rarely ever on the ground. 

Chimpanzee: The most common of all the primates are the Chimpanzees who range from living in communities in African rain forests, woodlands and grasslands. 

B. Diet

Lemurs: A lemur’s diet is made up of mostly leaves and fruits. Some occasionally eat insects, but they usually stick to a vegetarian diet.

Spider Monkey: Spider monkeys also eat fruits, but also enjoy various nuts. These monkeys prefer to swallow their fruit whole. Spider monkeys typically only eat from dawn until about 10 in the morning. They will eat bark and honey if they are still hungry throughout the day.  

Baboon: Baboons typically have large appetites. They tend to eat whatever they can get their hands on. They enjoy fruit, grass, seeds, roots and bark. Some Baboons even have cravings for meat. Therefore they can eat birds, rodents, and even younger animals such as sheep. 

Gibbon: Gibbons thrive on fruit trees in the rain forest, and are particularly fond of figs. 

Chimpanzee: Like baboons, chimps also seem to have a diverse diet. On top of eating leaves, fruits and nuts, Chimps also eat several different types of food including ones that are widely known to humans. Because Chimps are often domesticated as well, they are fed human food along with their owners.

C. Adaptation
Lemurs: Lemurs’ dietary habits greatly influence their environment, and vice versa. Because lemurs eat whole fruits, which includes the seeds, then once dispersed, the seeds then turn into plants which ultimately contributes to their habitat. This means that lemurs and other wildlife play a crucial role in rebuilding the many rainforests that are being destroyed.
Spider Monkey: Since spider monkeys live in the rainforest, they eat fruits and nuts, as that is what is most available to them. In addition spider monkeys rely on the rain forests to build their habitats as they mostly live in the upper layers of trees know as canopies. Spider monkeys also utilize the trees as a mode of transportation as they swing across the branches.
Baboon: Baboons are among the more common primates who eat everything ranging from leaves to the meat of small animals. These primates do not have long tails used for gripping trees, but nonetheless they build their habitats in trees and sleep in them.
Gibbon: Gibbons are perhaps the most adapted to their environment out of all the other primates. They only live in the trees and are rarely ever on the ground. Their bodies are essentially constructed for living in trees. They have hooked shaped hands which allow them to grip branches easier and also have extremely long arms in order to move from branch to branch.
Chimpanzee: Chimpanzees are what are known as the closest primates to humans. In fact humans and chimps share more than 98 percent of the same DNA. Their environments greatly vary because a lot of chimps are now being domesticated. This of course is out of nature for these primates, and is very dangerous because they are still wild creatures. If they are not domesticated, chimps live in the rain forest and are very used to their surroundings.

D. Photographs

Lemurs: 

Spider Monkey: 

Baboon: 

Gibbon: 

Chimpanzee: