Sanctuary Asia – July 2019

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u V ar
tions by Vinay Salvi

More at http://www.sanctuaryasia.com |Natural History


Eye in the Sky


Busting the Human


Superiority Complex


It is commonly believed that only humans and apes are
intelligent enough to communicate with each other using the
subtle and complex social skill of facial mimicry, involving
an animal responding to its counterpart’s facial expressions
through imitation. However, a recent long-term study on sun
bearsHelarctos malayanus has revealed that these solitary
to mimic facial expressions


. This is an important and
as it suggests that other
t from great apes and
t a fi ne degree of social
ar presumed to be lacking.
e facial expressions of others
is one of the pillars of human
on. Other primates and dogs
mimic each other, but only
and humans, and now sun
ow such complexity in their
mimicry,” writes Dr. Marina
D a-Ross, one of the main
ors of the study. Interestingly
bears are not social animals,
possess the ability to
mmunicate through complex
facial expressions. Intelligent
behaviour in animals could
ranscend humans and
p mates and hopefully further
research will shed light on the extent of animal intelligence.


Counting orangutans in rainforest habitats is not easy. The
conventional method used to estimate numbers from the
ground involves counting nests, which they build in tree
canopies. This is daunting, time-consuming and expensive.
But an interesting scientifi c collaboration between ecologists,
conservationists and astrophysicists has begun applying
‘star-studying’ technology to monitor populations of the
endangered ape. Drones fi tted with state-of-the-art thermal-
imaging cameras are fl own above wildlife habitats to detect
and differentiate orangutan individuals based on the animals’
heat signatures. Drones are also able to reach the most
inaccessible areas. "We tested the technology on orangutans
in the dense tropical i f t f S b h i M l y i I
thermal images, ani
stars and galaxies, s w
astronomy to detect d
We were not sure
at all whether
this would work, bu
with the thermal-
infrared camera
we could see the
orangutans quite
clearly because of
their body heat,
even during fog or
at night,” explained
astro-ecologist
Dr. Claire Burke.

Ironically, despite being fl ightless, penguins have more feathers on their bodies than other birds. The feathers are densely
packed together, about 12 per sq. cm., which helps to keep them warm in extreme temperatures.

Did You Know?

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