Posted on November 7, 2009 by Beast Ape
Yawning is a common phenomenon among vertebrates. Despite its widespread occurrence, the function of yawning remains a mystery 1. Indeed, yawning has been suggested as (i) a cooling mechanism for the brain to maintain cognitive function; (ii) a communicative behavior to indicate drowsiness or stress; (iii) a way to maintain vigilance/promote alertness among animals 2. [...]
Filed under: Animal Behavior, Animal Cognition, Primatology | Tagged: empathy, gelada, yawning | 5 Comments »
Posted on December 31, 2008 by Beast Ape
My friend and colleague’s final essay in Nature’s post-doc journal has been published this week. You can read the summary of her research and reflections on nearly a year of fieldwork studying the behavior of wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in the chilly highlands of Ethiopia by following this link.
Filed under: Animal Behavior, Animal Cognition, Fieldwork, Primatology | Tagged: Animal Cognition, Fieldwork, le Roux, Nature, post-doc journal, Primatology | Leave a Comment »
Posted on September 24, 2008 by Beast Ape
An elephant may never forget, but paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) can remember fights with other wasps for up to a week. This is quite an accomplishment considering their brain is one-millionth the size of a human brain! P. fuscatus queens share nests with other queens, after establishing social dominance relationships through aggressive contests. Likewise, it [...]
Filed under: Animal Behavior, Animal Cognition | Tagged: aggression, Animal Behavior, memory, paper wasp, Social cognition | 2 Comments »