Documentary Educational Resources - Filmmaker / Zeller, Anne / All Films

The Primate Series

Wed, 5 Sep 2018 11:07:00 GMT

The Primate Series
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The Primate Series aims to give a comparative view of a number of different primate species living under various conditions in captivity and in the wild.

The longer films compare some closely related animals, including subspecies, different species living in similar habitats, and animals of different families, such as monkeys and apes. This is done in order to let the observer see similarities caused by a common size, or close genetic relationship and compare these to more distantly related animals.

Having the opportunity to actually see primates moving in their natural habitats highlights the importance of specializations in locomotor systems, such as the long legs of vertical clinging and leaping primates, the long arms of brachiators, and the strong dexterous hands of arboreal quadrupeds.

Furthermore, watching the animals interact with each other emphasizes the subtlety of facial communication and the importance of kinesthetic movement. Does one animal respond to another's approach with retreat, defensiveness, or unconcern? Or, maybe with a groom invitation or a turned back?

The films also address group behavior. When food access is being contested, is the outcome based on individual relationships or on membership in a particular social class such as infant, female or dominant animal? Is food sharing common and peaceful, or involuntary and due to strategy and theft?

The films share an expanse of information, but the way that the videos were shot and edited also provides long uninterrupted sequences of behavior which can be used to study interactions, use of space, facial communication and role behaviors.

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Chimpanzees Today

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 08:16:00 GMT

Chimpanzees Today
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Chimpanzees Today is an overview of the various roles filled by chimpanzees and the situations in which they currently live. It begins by briefly discussing the precipitous drop in wild populations as well as some of the history of Jane Goodall's research at Gombe, focusing on the discoveries that promoted the use of the chimpanzee model in studying human evolution. It then covers many situations chimpanzee captivity, including the sanctuaries in Africa set up for infant chimpanzees rescued from poachers and some of the zoo habitats in which they are held. It also covers chimps raised as show animals, as pets, as participants in medical research, and as participants in behavioral research such as self-recognition, language-use and in the study of chimpanzee painting. Questioning when and if chimpanzee captivity is necessary, the video discusses the new captive sanctuaries for animals unable to return to the wild: chimpanzees and other primates that have outgrown their usefulness as pets or show animals, and those that have been retired from medical research. Returning to the theme of the use of the chimpanzee model in hominid evolution, the video includes a short segment on captive Bonobos. These are the other species of chimpanzee; a very rare form that may in fact be more similar in behavior to early hominids than are common chimpanzees. It ends with a plea for conservation of wild chimpanzees since without them all the contributions which the captive ones make will no longer be sustainable. Of particular value in the video are the sections on actual footage from a medical research laboratory, mirror self-recognition, and the level of language facility gained by chimpanzees who are not the focus of special language training programs. Anyone watching this video is undoubtedly aware of the social and intellectual kinship between humans and chimpanzees. The question then becomes, 'What are our responsibilities towards them?'

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Five Species

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 14:53:00 GMT

Five Species
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Three species of monkeys and two apes living in their natural habitat in Africa are compared in this video. The monkeys include the veret, the blue monkey and the black and white colobus, while the apes are common chimpanzees and eastern lowland gorillas. This footage, shot by a primatologist, includes nuances of behavior and social interaction which are not usually included in more commercial productions. Many sequences are long enough to allow the observer to watch behavior unfold between animals and learn what kinds of details to look for in live observation. The same types of behavior are recorded for each species (as much as possible) to permit comparisons to be drawn between diet and foraging patterns, infant care, locomotion and predator defense mechanisms. The videos are intended to allow the audience to see the same types of behavior by different species in different habitats and to draw the comparisons themselves. This format provides a condensed view of the life of several species thus emphasizing the variability and the adaptive nature of primates rather than focusing on the details of one form. This is a useful teaching device. The particular areas of interest in this video are the inclusion of the rarely filmed blue monkey, black and white colobus and eastern lowland gorilla, as well as the division of a monkey carcass by the chimpanzees and the interactions between humans and blue monkeys in a park in Nairobi.

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Introduction to the Primates

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 12:45:00 GMT

Introduction to the Primates
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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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Images from the Field: Baboons

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 12:44:00 GMT

Images from the Field: Baboons
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In this video we see the savanna baboons of Africa in various regions of their natural habitat, but with an emphasis on woodlands and forested regions since most other baboon films focus on the open savanna. The video emphasizes various roles filled by animals in a troop with particular attention paid to the range of behaviors seen in males. These include consorting, sentry, protection, baby-tending, positive affiliations with females, control and leading the troop. Various common behaviors such as feeding, grooming, locomoting, resting and playing are also portrayed in an attempt to set the roles in a context of group life. The females and their young are revealed to be a focus of attention for the group and many episodes of complex social behaviors are recorded in long sequences to allow the student to practice observation techniques.

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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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A Model for Conservation

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:49:00 GMT

A Model for Conservation
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Operation Wallacea is a UK based group of scientists who have established a conservation strategy with outposts in 6 areas of the world which they consider to be "biodiversity hotspots". A rainforest area of the Island of Buton, off the south coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia is the locus of this video. Operation Wallacea's scientists have been active here for a number of years, operating by a 4 stage process in which they survey the level of biological diversity, plan ways to maintain it, help the local people develop strategies to maintain income without harming the ecology and work to obtain grants to help development in the local area.

We see interviews with the head scientist of the Buton Project as well as a number of his fellow scientists working in forestry, primatology and herpataology. Outlining their projects, they discuss the importance of their research and how students and local people can help. We see newly-discovered species in their natural habitats; rare birds, insects and animals, including two primates. Students are also interviewed about their plans and their contributions to the overall conservation effort.

The video also provides insights into alternatively-structured models of conservation, as well as examining the impact of outside groups promoting their own ideas about conservation to the local inhabitants, making it a useful starting point to discuss these issues. Additionally it allows the viewer to see the human and animal inhabitants of Buton's subsistence-based culture and could be a tool to recruit students who may wish to participate in the Operation Wallacea project.

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Macaques

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:49:00 GMT

Macaques
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This video presents an overview of the genus Macaca, beginning with a discussion of their place in the primate order and their adaptability. This potential for eating a wide variety of foods and living in both temperate and tropical environments at a variety of altitudes means they are very similar to humans in their ability to exploit a range of habitats. After the introduction by Professor Zeller, the video covers 6 species of the approximately 18 types of macaques. The groups chosen range from the only Euro/African species (Macaca sylvanus, the Barbary macaque) at the west end of their range to the Japanese macaques at the eastern edge. The common rhesus and long-tailed macaques are included who range very widely across South-east Asia and these are contrasted with 2 species endemic to the island of Sulawasi in Indonesia. One of these is a new species discovered in the 1990's on the southern Sulawasi Island of Buton, (Macaca Brunescens) and the other is the rarely seen Macaca (Cynopithecus) nigra, one of the larger forms. Material on sexual dimorphism, locomotion, male-female relations, infant care, diet, group social patterns, grooming and communication is covered for each group, pointing out the differences and similarities between the species. Footage from free ranging and captive situations is used and the impact of captivity on behaviour is mentioned. This video is useful as an introduction to the genus, as well as providing data for a more complex analysis of behavioral comparisons which might be undertaken by more senior students. One particular area of comparison is the handling of objects by a variety of species and the potential functions of stick and stone use. Commentary about conservation issues and the impact of humans on the animals is also included.

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New World Monkeys

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 14:11:00 GMT

New World Monkeys
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This program is designed to introduce Primatology students to the range of monkeys of the Super family Ceboidea originating from Central and South America. Material on twenty -two species is included, covering all five of the families recently defined by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Some material was taped in the wild, while other species were observed in semi-free ranging and caged locations. The program begins with a brief introduction of the five families and then shows the field location in Costa Rica where some material was gathered. Morphological traits distinguishing New World from Old world forms are indicated throughout the first few segments. Short clips of marmoset and tamarin species cover a variety of forms while more in-depth segments on other species allow students access to different levels of information. In this video we are provided with a wealth of information about size, habitat, range, sexual dimorphism, diet, and communication patterns of each species. There is also footage of mother/infant interaction and adult social relations. Some maps and diagrams are included to inhance understanding of particular topics. A self-guide study sheet is included. This program is suitable for both introductory level and as a focus for discussion by more advanced students.

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Primate Patterns II

Tue, 28 Aug 2018 10:58:00 GMT

Primate Patterns II
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This video compares 3 species of monkey, one prosimian and two types of apes, all living in a zoo setting. These are Japanese macaques, lion tail macaques, mandrills, black lemurs, orangutans and lowland gorillas. Each segment shows several minutes of footage with descriptions of common behavior such as eating, grooming, locomotion, play and social interactions. The narration provides a commentary for each species but the comparisons between them are left to the observer and can occur at several levels. These include comparisons of behavior as it relates to size and sexual dimorphism, or comparisons in terms of phylogenetic level, or comparisons of complexity based on group size or species differences. Because the animals are caged, visibility is better in the wild, but comparisons with some of the other videos taken in natural settings, may allow discussion of the possible influences of captivity on behavior. Of particular interest are the social interactions of adult orangutans.

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