Many people hate to walk away from a situation they’ve invested significant time, money or resources on, even if it’s hopeless. Those wasted efforts are called ‘sunk costs’ and the more you spend, the more you’re likely to keep at it. It turns out our primate cousins act the same way, according to a new … Read more
The evolution of human vision can be traced back to the very first primates that evolved 55 million years ago, a study of a tiny mammal from Madagascar found. The world’s smallest primate, the endangered grey mouse lemur, is no bigger than an apple and weighs in at just two ounces. Researchers from Switzerland said that, despite their … Read more
Best pri-mates! Baby Olive and her monkey friend Bobo playfight over a cuddly toy in adorable footage Olive, one, and rescue monkey Bobo are best friends and enjoy playing together Mother Beth Ann Loftin caught adorable moment they play fight over cuddly toy Video shared on TikTok where channel shows duo growing up together in … Read more
Rodentia (gnawing mammals) Includes mountain beavers, chipmunks, squirrels, marmots, field mice, lemmings, muskrats, hamsters, gerbils, Old World mice, rats, geomyidae (gophers), and Dipodidae (jerboas). 1,700 species, the largest mammalian order. Chiroptera (bats) There are two suborders of bats, the only mammals that can fly. Suborder Megachiroptera contains one family, the Pteropodidae (flying foxes, Old Worm … Read more
Humans develop fine motor skills later than other primates because we have bigger brains that take longer to develop, biologists in Switzerland reveal. Although ‘a big brain equals great dexterity’, humans have to wait relatively longer to develop full dexterity, allowing us to tie shoelaces, hold a pen or use cutlery. Researchers at the University … Read more
Size ISN’T everything… for apes: Female gorillas’ social rank is dictated by their age rather than their body size – and it also makes them more attractive to mates Study found dominant females are not the biggest ones in the group Instead, females who were older and had group tenure were the highest ranking Also … Read more
The camera crew for new BBC series Primates have revealed how they battled tropical storms and tough terrain to capture rare monkeys on film during the two-year long shoot. Mike Gunton, Executive Producer, said catching the animals on film was ‘the hardest’ challenge, with most living in ‘remote, hot, steamy jungles’ at the top of … Read more
Conservationists have warned that endangered species including Africa’s mountain gorilla are at risk of contracting coronavirus. The Virunga National Park in Congo, which is currently home to around one third of the world’s mountain gorillas, has taken the decision to ban all visitors until June 1. It cited ‘advice from scientific experts indicating that primates, including mountain … Read more