While you are at the zoo, follow steps “a” through “d” for each of the three parts. After your
visit to the zoo, use the questions in step “e” as a guide as you write your paper. Don’t forget
that your paper needs an introduction and a conclusion!
Tips & Tricks:
• The primates are usually very active early in the morning, especially the smaller ones.
• Some primates are easier to observe than others – choosing your primates carefully will
make it easier to conduct your observations and write your paper.
o Do not try to observe the Moholi bush babies or the slow loris! Their enclosures
are way too dark to observe anything well.
o The Howler monkeys spend a lot of time sleeping.
• Your hypotheses are not limited to the behaviors on the observation sheets – you can add
your own behaviors in the “Other” columns but they should be behaviors you can
reasonably expect to see in your observation period.
• Ask docents any questions you might have- they love to talk about the animals and they
are amazing resources.
Part 1: Locomotion in different primate species
For this section, you will conduct focal observations of individuals in three species: one
strepsirhine, one New World or Old World Monkey, and one ape (gibbon or chimpanzee but
NOT the gorillas). The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
Strepsirrhine species:__________________________________
NWM/OWM species:_________________________________
Ape species (not gorillas):_________________________________________
1a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing each of the primate species you have chosen.
1b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
relating to locomotion that you will observe in these species. For example, “I predict that the
individual from [Species 1] will spend more time _______ than the individuals from [Species 2
and Species 3].”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6
Why do you think that behavior will be different among these species? Briefly explain your
reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
1c. Collect focal observations of one individual for each species using the attached observation
sheets. The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
1d. Make notes about each of the species you observe. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does it eat?
• What kind of residence pattern or social group structure does it have?
• Does the species have a tail? If so, what does it look like? What do the hands and feet
look like?
• Are there differences in how the species use their tails, hands, or feet?
1e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements. For example, “The WhiteCheeked
Gibbon never touched the ground during the observation period.”
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• How did the different forms of locomotion that you observed relate to the physical
features of the species (e.g. tails, feet, hands)?
• How do the different locomotion behaviors fit into what you know about these species’
niches (roles in their ecosystem)?
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
locomotion in different primate species?
Part 2: Behavior in different individuals of the same species
For this section, you will conduct focal observations of two individuals of the same species. You
may not use gorillas or a species that you observed in Part 1. You may choose a strepsirrhine,
Old World Monkey, New World Monkey, or ape species that has individuals that you can tell are
different (e.g. male vs. female, juvenile vs. adult).
Species: ______________________________________
Individual A: __________________________________
Individual B: __________________________________
2a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing the individuals you have chosen.
2b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
that you will observe in these different individuals. For example, “I predict that the Individual A
will spend more time _______ than Individual B.”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that behavior will be different between your two focal individuals? Briefly
explain your reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2c. Collect focal observations of the two individuals that you have selected using the attached
observation sheets. The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
2d. Make notes about the species you observe. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does it eat?
• What kind of residence pattern or social group structure does it have?
• What are the noticeable differences between your two focal individuals? If you are
comparing male and female individuals, is the species sexually dimorphic? If you are
comparing a juvenile and an adult, how do you know it’s a juvenile?
• Did they exhibit any behaviors that surprised you?
8
• Did these individuals spend a lot of time close to each other or interacting with other
group members, or were they mostly away from others?
2e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements. For example, “I observed the
male to groom others twice, but the female groomed others five times during the
observation period.”
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• Were there any other notable differences in behaviors among these individuals?
• Were there other factors that might have affected the behavior of the primates during
your observations (for example, did a keeper come in to feed them)? If so, discuss them.
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
how behavior is different among individuals within the same species?
Part 3: Behavior in different kinds of social groups
For this section, you will conduct observations of two groups of gorillas. Lincoln Park Zoo has
two social groups of gorillas: a bachelor group and a family group. Most zoos only have one
social group and LPZ provides a unique opportunity for you to observe how social behaviors in
different types of social groups within the same species.
3a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing the bachelor group and the family group.
3b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
that you expect to observe in these different social groups. For example, “I predict that the family
group will _______ less than the bachelor group.”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that behavior will be different between the two groups of gorillas? Briefly
explain your reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9
_________________________________________________________________________
3c. Collect group observations of the two groups of gorillas using the attached observation
sheets.
3d. Make notes about the groups that you observed. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does this species usually eat?
• Does one group tend to stay in closer proximity to each other than the other?
• Do these groups differ in terms of how active they are, or where they spend their time
(e.g. on the ground, in the climbing structures)
2e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements.
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• Were there any other notable differences in behaviors among these groups?
• Based on what you know about these social groups, were you surprised by anything you
saw during your observations?
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
how behavior is different among bachelor and family groups in gorillas?
While you are at the zoo, follow steps “a” through “d” for each of the three parts. After your
visit to the zoo, use the questions in step “e” as a guide as you write your paper. Don’t forget
that your paper needs an introduction and a conclusion!
Tips & Tricks:
• The primates are usually very active early in the morning, especially the smaller ones.
• Some primates are easier to observe than others – choosing your primates carefully will
make it easier to conduct your observations and write your paper.
o Do not try to observe the Moholi bush babies or the slow loris! Their enclosures
are way too dark to observe anything well.
o The Howler monkeys spend a lot of time sleeping.
• Your hypotheses are not limited to the behaviors on the observation sheets – you can add
your own behaviors in the “Other” columns but they should be behaviors you can
reasonably expect to see in your observation period.
• Ask docents any questions you might have- they love to talk about the animals and they
are amazing resources.
Part 1: Locomotion in different primate species
For this section, you will conduct focal observations of individuals in three species: one
strepsirhine, one New World or Old World Monkey, and one ape (gibbon or chimpanzee but
NOT the gorillas). The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
Strepsirrhine species:__________________________________
NWM/OWM species:_________________________________
Ape species (not gorillas):_________________________________________
1a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing each of the primate species you have chosen.
1b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
relating to locomotion that you will observe in these species. For example, “I predict that the
individual from [Species 1] will spend more time _______ than the individuals from [Species 2
and Species 3].”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6
Why do you think that behavior will be different among these species? Briefly explain your
reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
1c. Collect focal observations of one individual for each species using the attached observation
sheets. The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
1d. Make notes about each of the species you observe. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does it eat?
• What kind of residence pattern or social group structure does it have?
• Does the species have a tail? If so, what does it look like? What do the hands and feet
look like?
• Are there differences in how the species use their tails, hands, or feet?
1e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements. For example, “The WhiteCheeked
Gibbon never touched the ground during the observation period.”
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• How did the different forms of locomotion that you observed relate to the physical
features of the species (e.g. tails, feet, hands)?
• How do the different locomotion behaviors fit into what you know about these species’
niches (roles in their ecosystem)?
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
locomotion in different primate species?
Part 2: Behavior in different individuals of the same species
For this section, you will conduct focal observations of two individuals of the same species. You
may not use gorillas or a species that you observed in Part 1. You may choose a strepsirrhine,
Old World Monkey, New World Monkey, or ape species that has individuals that you can tell are
different (e.g. male vs. female, juvenile vs. adult).
Species: ______________________________________
Individual A: __________________________________
Individual B: __________________________________
2a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing the individuals you have chosen.
2b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
that you will observe in these different individuals. For example, “I predict that the Individual A
will spend more time _______ than Individual B.”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that behavior will be different between your two focal individuals? Briefly
explain your reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2c. Collect focal observations of the two individuals that you have selected using the attached
observation sheets. The individuals you choose for focal observations must be awake.
2d. Make notes about the species you observe. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does it eat?
• What kind of residence pattern or social group structure does it have?
• What are the noticeable differences between your two focal individuals? If you are
comparing male and female individuals, is the species sexually dimorphic? If you are
comparing a juvenile and an adult, how do you know it’s a juvenile?
• Did they exhibit any behaviors that surprised you?
8
• Did these individuals spend a lot of time close to each other or interacting with other
group members, or were they mostly away from others?
2e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements. For example, “I observed the
male to groom others twice, but the female groomed others five times during the
observation period.”
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• Were there any other notable differences in behaviors among these individuals?
• Were there other factors that might have affected the behavior of the primates during
your observations (for example, did a keeper come in to feed them)? If so, discuss them.
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
how behavior is different among individuals within the same species?
Part 3: Behavior in different kinds of social groups
For this section, you will conduct observations of two groups of gorillas. Lincoln Park Zoo has
two social groups of gorillas: a bachelor group and a family group. Most zoos only have one
social group and LPZ provides a unique opportunity for you to observe how social behaviors in
different types of social groups within the same species.
3a. First, spend at least 2 minutes observing the bachelor group and the family group.
3b. Based on your observations and knowledge of primates, make a hypothesis about a behavior
that you expect to observe in these different social groups. For example, “I predict that the family
group will _______ less than the bachelor group.”
Record your hypothesis here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that behavior will be different between the two groups of gorillas? Briefly
explain your reasoning.
Record your reasoning here: __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
9
_________________________________________________________________________
3c. Collect group observations of the two groups of gorillas using the attached observation
sheets.
3d. Make notes about the groups that you observed. Things that you may want to note:
• Where does the species typically live in the wild?
• What does this species usually eat?
• Does one group tend to stay in closer proximity to each other than the other?
• Do these groups differ in terms of how active they are, or where they spend their time
(e.g. on the ground, in the climbing structures)
2e. In this section of your paper, you should use your hypothesis, reasoning, and observations to
address the following points:
• Provide some background information about the species observed.
• What was your hypothesis? What reasoning do you have to support your prediction?
• Was your hypothesis supported?
o If so, what evidence (behaviors you observed) supports your hypothesis? Be
specific! Use numbers to support your statements.
o If your hypothesis was not supported, why do you think it was not supported?
• Were there any other notable differences in behaviors among these groups?
• Based on what you know about these social groups, were you surprised by anything you
saw during your observations?
• What would you do differently if you were a researcher genuinely interested in studying
how behavior is different among bachelor and family groups in gorillas?
