Publications by authors named "Michelle Klailova"
Article Synopsis
- - Mammals, including humans, use various signals like visual, auditory, and especially chemical (olfactory) cues for social communication, but the role of smell in human interactions remains under-researched compared to other animals.
- - This study focuses on wild gorillas, examining how they use scent for social communication, and reveals that extreme odors correlate with specific behaviors such as anger, distress, and social interactions, rather than just indicating stress.
- - Findings suggest that gorilla scent acts as a variable signaling mechanism that adapts according to context and social relationships, highlighting the importance of olfactory communication in dense forest environments where visibility is limited.
The slow life histories of great apes (hereafter 'apes') combined with a growing inventory of predation incidents suggest that apes may be strongly affected by direct predation, as well as by predation risk. Predation risk may shape and increase behavioural flexibility by forcing individuals to adapt their behaviour to predator patterns. Forest leopards are an apex predator of primates in African rain forests and may represent a significant risk to ape populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElaborate manual skills of food processing are known in several species of great ape; but their manner of acquisition is controversial. Local, "cultural" traditions show the influence of social learning, but it is uncertain whether this includes the ability to imitate the organization of behavior. Dispute has centered on whether program-level imitation contributes to the acquisition of feeding techniques in gorillas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Gorilla tourism is a booming industry affecting the behavior and health of wild gorillas, particularly in five countries with several gorilla subspecies.
- The study at Bai Hokou in the Central African Republic revealed that human presence influenced gorilla behavior, with a notable amount of aggressive interactions directed toward humans, especially from adult females.
- Recommendations include increasing the minimum observation distance to over 10 meters and reducing the number of visitors to minimize stress and behavioral changes in gorillas.