Re: Sept issue Nat'l Geographic

Glenn Morton (GRMorton@gnn.com)
Mon, 09 Sep 1996 21:15:45

>To Glenn Morton --
>
>Just noted an interesting little arrticle in the Sept 1996 issue of National
>Geographic.About 8 or 10 pages in (unnumbered) is an account of a monkey born
>with something akin to Downs Syndrome (i.e. metally retarded).The interesting
>think is how the other monkeys related to her during her lifetime. Won't give
>the game away by saying how -- you'll have to read it for yourself.

I stopped by the local library on the way home tonight to get this article.
It is indeed hard to find in that journal.

I would say that there are three conditions which are different from the story
of McGregor given by Goodall.

First, this chimp was born sick and even though it behaved wierdly, it was not
something that occurred late in life after the rhesus troup had become used to
the animal. In other words, it was not a change in its condition from the
normal.

Secondly,remember with McGregor, who became paralyzed, the troup became used
to him after a few days and no longer attacked him, but they did ignore him.
They did not feed him. It is not clear from the article who fed this rhesus
named, Azalea. Did she feed herself late in her life? Did her mother? Was
she still nursing at 3? A rhesus can live to be 25 years or so, in which case
her mother might still have been taking care of here. Rhesus monkeys attain
sexual maturity at 3-4 years. Azalea was less than 3 when she died.

Third, this event took place in the highly artificial environment of the
Primate Research Center. What effect did that have on behavior?

Foundation,Fall and Flood
http://members.gnn.com/GRMorton/dmd.htm