Documentary Educational Resources - Geography / Africa / Madagascar / All Films

Introduction to the Primates

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 12:45:00 GMT

Introduction to the Primates
Buy Now: $320.00

An Introduction To The Primates covers 41 species of primates ranging from the 300 gram sized pygmy slow loris to the 200 kilogram sized gorilla. At least ten of these are extremely endangered species, including the Zanzibar red colobus, (filmed in Zanzibar) and the potto, aye-aye, and Drill, all of which occur in less than half a dozen sites in captivity. The tarsier is represented although unfortunately no video is available. The animals are organized by taxonomic category, although formal terms are not used. Instead, they are grouped by their shared features, in an effort to provide visual manifestations of such features as the tapetum (the reflective layer in the eye of nocturnal prosimians), sexual dimorphism, grooming claws, and dental combs. Most of the animals are recorded in their social groups and some, such as the Indri and Sifaka, in their natural habitats in Madagascar. Members of the lemurs and lorises, the tarsier, the five major types of the expanded New World Monkey taxonomy, and both Cercopithecines and Colobines are covered as well as two lesser and four great ape species. This rapid coverage of a range of species in under 50 minutes provides an excellent introduction to the order, covering both morphology and behaviour. The video can also be broken down into units and used as the foundation for discussion of a variety of groups. The video moves rapidly from species to species, but repetition of the characteristics allows the information to be retained, with an appreciation of the variety of ways in which features can be manifested. Locomotor patterns, sexual dimorphism, diet, food processing, adult-infant interactions, male care, and tool use are all covered in appropriate contexts, as well as the social organization of each species, and discussion of its specialized features. This video is intended as a comparative introduction for the Primate Series of films which covers most of the major taxonomic categories of primates in more detail.

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Lemurs of Madagascar

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 06:41:00 GMT

Lemurs of Madagascar
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This video demonstrates the range of lemurs present in Madagascar and to show as many as possible of them in their natural habitats. Footage of 9 species is included, covering 4 of the lemur families as well as 3 subspecies of brown lemur and two types of variegated lemur. Some animals were filmed in captivity and some in the wild. The differences between wild and captive animals are emphasized because they are shown in both habitats. The influence of body size of animals and their social complexity on range, diet, social relations and reproductive patterns is emphasized. Many students will not have had the opportunity to see most of these animals except in captivity, this video emphasizes the difficulties of observation under free ranging conditions. As with the other comparative videos in this series, the material is organized to allow internal comparisons to be drawn at a number of levels. Also some shots are long enough to allow observers to make their own observations on social behaviors developing on screen. In this video we are provided with a wealth of information about size, habitat, range, sexual dimorphism, diet, and communication patterns. It can be used as a summary of the main families of lemurs, or a basis of comparison between prosimian and higher primates. The zoo footage of the rare Daubentonia-madagascarensis is among the first to be released. These animals have only been in research centers for a very short time and were only briefly filmed in the wild previous to that. The animals included in this video are the Indri, the brown lemur (3 subspecies) the red bellied lemur, the ring tail lemur, the grey gentle lemur, the variegated (ruffed) lemur (2 subspecies), the dwarf lemur, the brown mouse lemur and the aye aye.

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Sifakas of Madagascar

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 07:46:00 GMT

Sifakas of Madagascar
Buy Now: $295.00

Two very closely related species of sifaka are compared in this video in order to provide some detailed information about their behavior. The diademmed sifaka is very rare and has only recently been brought into captivity. This footage taken in its natural habitat is currently the only available material showing it in the wild. This species is compared with verreauxi's sifaka which is much more common and frequently filmed animals. Comparisons between these two similar species increase our understanding of the adaptive strategies of this type of lemur which is one of the largest remaining forms. Theverreauxi's sifaka is highly adapted to dry conditions and is shown feeding, locomoting and defending its territory from an incoming group. The pacing of this video is slow to allow the observer time to really look at this unusual animal and its highly unusual form of locomotion, which is vertical clinging and leaping between trees and bipedal dancing on the ground.

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