Primates (Diet)

Primates Environment

  

Lemurs originated in the Madagascar and Comoro Islands. They are very compliant to their surroundings and live in rain forests and desert areas.

    

 Spider monkeys reside in Central and South America in the tropical rain forests.

 Baboons reside in Arabia or Africa. Baboons dwell in savanna, other arid places and in tropical forests.

   

Gibbons inhabit jungles and rain forests in south-east Asia.

   

 Chimpanzees  live within family crowds in the rainforest & have been known to be in swamps, woodlands and bamboo forests.

Primates (Diet)

Lemurs:Lemurs often feed on nuts and fruits that they find in their natural habitat. These items are typically very easy for them to find in the trees. They will consume insects and even small animals when the fruits aren’t in season. Their feeding habits prompt the growth of new trees too.

Spider Monkeys: Spider monkeys are omnivorous more specifically they are categorized as fruigivorous because of their fruit and seed based diet. They also tend to feed on young leaves, flowers, aerial roots, occasionally bark and wood, honey, insects/insect larvae, and bird eggs. Spider monkeys eat while hanging, climbing or moving. Rarely they feed on insect parts, as well as some animal prey.

Baboons: baboons are omnivorous and opportunistic which means that they will eat almost anything and adapt their diets to the environment in which they live. Their diet is diverse but they are highly selective, preferring foods that are higher in protein. Their diet includes a combination of fruit, flowers, seeds, pods, leaves, gum, sap, roots, corms, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs as well as any small animals that they can catch or come across. With their strength and dexterity, baboons are able to extract undergrown growths which are more difficult for the smaller monkeys to feed on. In the Cape Peninsula of South Africa, baboons also feed on shellfish, including mussels, limpets and crabs.

Gibbons:Gibbons eat plants and meat making them omnivores. Searching for fruit most of the time they also eat leaves, flowers, tree bark, seeds and shoots. If they eat shoots they look for the more tender ones. As far as what meat they eat, it usually consists of spiders, small birds and their eggs, and insects. When they drink water they use their fur to soak up the liquid and then rub it on wet leaves enabling them to sip up the water.

Chimpanzees:Unlike other apes such as gorillas and orangutans which are almost entirely herbivorous (plant-eating), chimps are classified as omnivores. This means that, like humans, they eat a variety of plant and animal foods. While the vast bulk of the chimpanzee’s diet is made up of plant foods including fruits, seeds, nuts, leaves and flowers, they will also eat insects and even larger animals that they have hunted and killed themselves.                                     

Environmental Influence (Diet)

     Lemurs have to adapt to the extreme climate and geographical challenges they face, poor soil, low plant productivity and lack of fruit trees. This has driven specific types of lemurs to feed on insect secretions, leaves and tree gum for nutrients to survive. They also have the ability to slow down their metabolism in order to physically function during food shortages.

       Spider monkeys contribute to their environment. They do this by spreading seeds from plants, fruits, and flowers to assist with the growth of trees and vegetation. They have influenced their environment with this trait as well as having adjusted to the drastic and extreme elements of their environment.

         Baboons have adapted to multiple environments making their feeding habits unique. Baboons are what some who study them call opportunistic. What this means is that baboons change their diets along with the change of their environment. Their environment influences them by constantly changing what they have access to eat in order to survive.

        Gibbons are very acrobatic which helps them survive in many environments by providing access to a many variety of foods that are around.

        Chimpanzees are highly intelligent and have been forced to learn skills and knowledge of their surroundings regarding scavenging in order to survive.

Summary

     These primates share similarities in diets, because of their adaption to environmental changes. These animals also go through physical changes in order to survive their surroundings. Lemurs have an incredible sense of smell and heightened vision in the dark. Spider monkeys uses a tail as another limb to maneuver through trees. Baboons are extremely strong which allows them to be on the ground and capture large prey. Gibbons have strong arms that allow them to balance and grip on trees. Chimpanzees are highly intelligent and are skilled scavengers for survival. These primates are what they are because of their environment and how they adapted in order to strive.