I just realized that it is a 7 years old article!
Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
91–100 of 152 posts
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#92Earlier quoted context omitted.
Add giving them goggles for when they don't see well. Ear devices for when they don't hear well. A wheelchair for when they can't walk. I'm afraid when Darwin passes by ( other group of gorillas) and the word of the strongest will be law. ( Just thinking out loud, with controversy :) )
Technology assures long term survival and it is in a species best interest to develop them. That is apparent. Now the question is how do you nurture technological development?
I can agree somewhat.
Except if it makes genetics weaker on the very long term and tech becomes a requirement instead of optional.
Glasses, smoking, IVF,...
Ps. I wear goggles myselve. And I know the above will be a hated opinion.
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#93> "If we could get more of them doing it, it would be great," he joked. Karisoke's Vecellio, though, said actively instructing the apes would be against the center's ethos. "No we can't teach them," she said. "We try as much as we can to not interfere with the gorillas. We don't want to affect their natural behavior." I would think that the main danger is in habituating the gorillas to humans, teaching them that we'r…
Pepper spray is actually quite damaging.
I'd also think that there's a good chance that it would be damaging mostly to the human on the other end of the spray cannister.
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#94>Veterinarian Mike Cranfield, executive director of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, also said he wasn't shocked by the news. >"Chimpanzees are always quoted as being the tool users, but I think, when the situation provides itself, gorillas are quite ingenious," he said. >Cranfield speculated that the gorillas may have learned how to destroy traps by watching the Karisoke center's trackers. Looks like they ma…
Money see monkey do!
But what is the purpose of writing news articles about it - it’s clickwhoring that alerts poachers to improve their deplorable activities
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#95In Aotearoa-New Zealand we set traps for introduced species like stoats, rats, possums, etc. that kill our endangered wildlife that evolved without natural predators. The Kea which are very smart mountain parrots will go and disarm the traps in order to eat the bait. They're smart enough to have figured out how to do this, and are one of just a handful of animals that habitually use tools, but are unfortunately too s…
If you’re hiking in NZ, especially in alpine territory, watch out for Kea. They will figure out how to steal your food, even if it’s in the pocket of your bag!
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#96In Aotearoa-New Zealand we set traps for introduced species like stoats, rats, possums, etc. that kill our endangered wildlife that evolved without natural predators. The Kea which are very smart mountain parrots will go and disarm the traps in order to eat the bait. They're smart enough to have figured out how to do this, and are one of just a handful of animals that habitually use tools, but are unfortunately too s…
If you’re hiking in NZ, especially in alpine territory, watch out for Kea. They will figure out how to steal your food, even if it’s in the pocket of your bag!
And all alpine chalets and cabins in Kea habitated areas have warning signs about leaving windows open with pictures of the share devastation they cause when they get inside. Where I live we have Kaka which are related to Kea. All they do is tear trees to shreds.
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#97In Aotearoa-New Zealand we set traps for introduced species like stoats, rats, possums, etc. that kill our endangered wildlife that evolved without natural predators. The Kea which are very smart mountain parrots will go and disarm the traps in order to eat the bait. They're smart enough to have figured out how to do this, and are one of just a handful of animals that habitually use tools, but are unfortunately too s…
What’s the bait? Interesting that either the Kea or their predators are omnivorous enough that would happen.
Apparently Eggs. Also the research shows that they enjoy the noise of setting off the trap. They also throw things off cliffs just to hear them hit the bottom.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2018/09/extraordi...
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
> If they can learn by observing humans, without the humans specifically intending it, then what's so different, or unethical, if it's done with intent? I think this might interfere with some research involving the gorillas. You cannot study their natural behaviors if you are assisting them. Not to say there isn't research teams looking to train gorillas, my point is that may not be THEIR focus. While they cannot con…
It's a lot harder to study them if they're dead. I'm heartily in favor of assisting them to the extent they want to learn, it's possible that the more effort we make to communicate the more we'll learn ourselves. Also, if they're capable of learning then they're sapient by definition which means we have some moral obligations to them rather than being disinterested observers, because it's our species that is trying t…
> Also, if they're capable of learning then they're sapient by definition which means we have some moral obligations to them rather than being disinterested observers
It's because we have moral obligations to them that researchers try not to interfere.
> Perhaps we should start considering them as different species of people rather than mere livestock.
If we considered them livestock they'd be in cages. These researches are treating them as we treat many uncontacted tribes of humans.
---
It's fine if you disagree with the option, but this approach has nothing to do with being callous or indifferent, it's just a different point of view on how best to protect them. And in my opinion, it's a reaction to the full contact approach that was already tried in the 60s/70s, and frankly didn't go well for either side.
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
Or it triggers a cascading increase in intelligence, and they end up taking up arms and conquering us.
In every species except man, the benefits of intelligence are largely limited to a single individual or a small family clan. Without widespread cooperative behavior there can be no evolutionary pressure to push intelligence to our heights. What use is it for a gorilla to read or have complex language if it can't be used to cooperate with a large number of other individuals? Unfortunately, both Darwinian genetics and…
Perhaps it is wars, of all things, that made cooperative behavior an evolutionary advantage? Larger, better cooperating groups are more likely to win. Smaller groups are more likely to get wiped out. I sometimes think that humans are half way to becoming a superorganism with individuals as cells. But the superorganism actually benefits from some individualist cells, unlike real organisms where cells are supposed to perform their task and shut up.
I recently watched Band of Brothers. It is about people sticking together to kill other people. Why the hell is that interesting to me? I blame genetics.
Re: Gorilla Youngsters Seen Dismantling Poachers’ Traps (2012)
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
Or it triggers a cascading increase in intelligence, and they end up taking up arms and conquering us.
In every species except man, the benefits of intelligence are largely limited to a single individual or a small family clan. Without widespread cooperative behavior there can be no evolutionary pressure to push intelligence to our heights. What use is it for a gorilla to read or have complex language if it can't be used to cooperate with a large number of other individuals? Unfortunately, both Darwinian genetics and…
Matt Ridely argues something like this, characterising it as trade within a group, and perhaps it began with the hunter/gatherer division of labour between the sexes.
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rational_Optimist
Can you elaborate on your sources?