Inferential Reasoning in Lemurs using Visual and Auditory Cues Christine Hammerschmidt Ms.

. Christine Hammerschmidt worked on this inferential reasoning project at LCF. The project developed from the need to understand if prosimians and lemurs inferential reasoning, which may be important to primates. Several studies focused on inferential reasoning in great apes and other large primates but none had been conducted with prosimians. Inferential reasoning indicates that an individual can use available information to draw conclusions about what is not directly observable or readily available. It is problem solving based on provided information. In their natural environment, lemurs would greatly benefit from at least basic inferential reasoning abilities in a variety of situations, such as foraging, tool use, and predator avoidance. Ms. Hammerschmidts study was designed to explore whether or not lemurs use visual and auditory cues to determine the location of food. Ms. Hammerschmidt found that lemurs do not use visual or audio cues to determine the location of food in this experiment, except for one individual that used the cues accurately 100% of the time. Based on the results of this study, Hammerschmidt suggests this research should be replicated with more subjects to better understand what is occurring with the inferential abilities of prosimians. In addition, future research should analyze this procedure, and, if it is found to be valid, include visual positive and auditory positive trials along with visual and auditory negative in order to better determine the abilities of the lemurs. Mongoose Parenting Alison Zak Ms. Zaks project is intended to increase understanding of mongoose lemur infant development and parental care. No prior research has focused on these aspects of this species life history. To accomplish her research goal Ms. Zak used basic behavioral data to develop an activity budget and explored the extent to which mongoose lemur males are involved in the care of their infants compared with females. She observed infants in their family groups for periods of time and noted the frequency of specific behaviors. (see chart below)

Merceds interactions with infant Monica

The mongoose lemurs at the Myakka City reserve are housed in groups that take into consideration the social structure of wild Eulemur mongoz. In the wild, bonded male-female pairs live in small, primarily monogamous groups with their immature offspring (Curtis 1999). Primates considered to be monogamous often exhibit characteristics such as pair-bonding, paternal care, and territoriality (Kleiman 1977). This project will assess the degree of paternal care in captive mongoose lemurs. Direct paternal care behaviors include transporting, feeding, grooming, and defending, and agonistic aid (Kleiman 1977, Strier 2007). According to the parental care theory, a species with increased paternal certainty should provide increased paternal care. (Moller 1998). Male mongoose lemurs living in monogamous pairs have increased paternal certainty and would therefore benefit from directly participating in the care of their offspring. So, it can be suggested that male mongoose lemurs will spend a significant amount of time participating in paternal care, though the mother is still the primary provider of infant care. Data on adult and infant behavior, parent-infant social interactions and proximity will be collected and analyzed to assess the accuracy of this claim with regard to Eulemur mongoz. This project will add to the existing literature on lemur infant development and parental care. Such research will contribute to a better understanding of this topic as it pertains to prosimians and allow for more cross-species comparisons and comparisons between wild and captive populations. In addition, such knowledge is valuable from a husbandry perspective and can be used to improve the care of captive animals in the future. Ms. Zak prepared this paper for submission publication in Zoo Biology and for a presentation at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists annual conference in 2012.

Inhibition of object retrieval when faced with a transparent barrier by prosimians Caitlin Homan This study was designed by Ms. Homan to determine if prosimians have difficulty inhibiting their response to reach directly for a food item with a transparent barrier blocking their path. If, in fact, lemurs do have more trouble with transparent barriers, I will perform a second experiment. In animal husbandry, there are occasions where you need to capture an animal for medical work or relocation. An easy way to do this is by training them to go in a crate. With constant training, many individuals learn that the crate is not dangerous and they are willing to go in with some luring. This is what is currently done at LCF. I am interested in whether the lemurs who will not go in the crate, despite training, will go in more easily if the back is replaced with transparent plexiglass. This way, they will not realize that there is a barrier between them and the outside. If the crate is enlarged and backed with plexiglass and the individuals are still lured with food (which they will not be able to reach while standing partially outside the crate because it is enlarged), they may be more willing to go inside, thinking they can pass through because they can see the outside. They may also be afraid of going into a dark, enclosed area. If this is the case, having more light allowed in from the back would also benefit them. I believe that enlarging a crate and replacing the back with transparent plexiglass will make lemurs that initially will not go in a crate feel more comfortable going in and make them easier to capture. This would benefit the staff at LCF as well as the lemurs, by making the process of capturing them less stressful. In memory: We would like to remember Ms. Homan and her contribution to LCF as an intern and researcher. Ms. Homan was killed in a hit and run auto accident in England during the spring of 2013 where she was pursuing a graduate degree. Varecia rubra (red ruffed lemur) Vocalization - Daphne Hudson Daphne Hudson, a student at New College of Florida, worked in the LCF forests with the free-ranging red ruffed lemurs from May to June of 2012. Ms. Hudsons thesis for her bachelors degree involved creating a vocal repertoire for V. rubra. To complete her project Ms. Hudson spent several weeks in the forest recording vocalizations and correlating them to individuals and behaviors. Dr. Erik Patel, a member of LCFs Scientific Advisory Council) loaned some specialized recording equipment. Dr. Natalie Vasey served as an advisor on the project. Dr. Vasey is an instructor for the Portland State University Field Training Program at LCF. Ms. Hudson participated in the field methods school with Dr. Vasey in 2011 then returned to complete her thesis project. Ms. Hudson was also assisted by Cait Flanagan, LCF Animal Care Specialist. Her thesis was presented to New College of Florida faculty on May 1, 2013 with LCF staff attending.

Senior Capastone Project, Landscape Architecture Jabari Taylor Im a 5th year Landscape Architecture major at the University of Florida with minors in Environmental Horticulture and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. The curriculum for the Landscape Architecture department requires 5th year seniors to complete a Senior Capstone project. The scope and scale of the project is ultimately of our choosing, but should demonstrate comprehension of the degrees curriculum. I have chosen to do my capstone project at the Lemur Conservation Foundations Myakka City Lemur Reserve. The MCLR has been very gracious in allowing me to use the reserve as the subject of my capstone project and it has been an awesome opportunity that I would like to share.

At the beginning of the fall semester of 2012, when we were to start searching for projects that we could use for our capstones, I knew that I wanted to do a project that involved wildlife conservation and perhaps habitat/exhibit design. I have always been fascinated by wildlife ecology and have always been interested in its intersection with landscape architecture, so this was an obvious path to choose as far as subject areas for my project. I initially started looking around for zoos that might have future plans for expansion, and in doing so, came across Stacey Tarpleys blog entitled Designingzoos.com. Stacey is a landscape architect that works for a firm specializing in destination design (theme parks, resorts, zoos, etc.) In September 2012, Stacey made a blog post about the reserve, and thats how I initially found out about it (http://designingzoos.com/2012/09/05/dz-visits-the-lemur-conservation-reserve/). The MCLR seemed like a very interesting, unique, and beautiful space for a capstone project so I contacted Stacey and then contacted Pattie Walsh and Lee Nesler at the MCLR to set up a visit so that I could tell discuss my project. With the reserves blessings, I started researching and analyzing the 100 acre site to better understand what I could do, not only as a school project, but to help the reserve with design ideas for future development. I drew upon resources such as interviews with Lee Nesler and Patti Walsh, GIS, Google Earth, on-site analysis, as well as reading through publications from various scientific journals to learn about the existing conditions of the site and its most important users: lemurs! A synthesis of the information researched led me to establish the following goals and objectives for this project:

Lemur Goals

o Create habitat for the Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis) using the sites marsh areas and thus, start a conservation breeding program for Hapalemur griseus alaotrensis in the United States. o Maximize ideal habitat within existing forest enclosures o Design the Red Dog Woods area of the reserve to be a multiple ecosystem forest enclosure o o o o Visitor/Staff Goals Create more on-site housing for visiting field research students and other guests Include program elements that will allow the site to be more self-sustaining Veterinary building Greenhouses for browse production Fruit tree grove for on-site fruit production Environmental goals Maximize the use of a sustainable and non-consumptive design approach. Preserve the appearance of the natural Florida landscape where possible.

I then explored multiple concepts for the site. Im exploring the idea of having a large water moat encircle the forest enclosure that will one day be Red Dog Woods. This would eliminate the need for maintenance of chain-link fencing around the enclosure which has, in the past, been compromised by feral hogs. It will also give the enclosure a naturalistic appearance. Important considerations have been grading the bank of the water barrier with a very gentle slope for the safety of the lemurs, having a consistent water supply for the barrier, and creating sufficient water flow through the water barrier so that it doesnt become stagnant. I am also exploring the idea of having a small eco-bungalow village on-site for housing field researchers and other guests that the reserve hosts. Eco-bungalows are a type of small, sustainable housing units. They can be found throughout the world, usually as a part of ecolodges. These sustainable huts would be a low cost option for on-site housing that would give students and scientists a Madagascan field research experience.

As the deadline for the project (April 18) draws near, I will solidify my design decisions and start the production of a master plan for the site as well as producing enlargements of key areas of the site including the bungalow village, Red Dog Woods, a redesigned Toomey woods, and a new entry area. I could not have chosen a better place for my capstone. The staff at the Lemur Conservation Foundation has been amazing and continues to facilitate my project, and I am very thankful to them. LCFs mission is a very important one, and I hope that the development ideas that I present through this project will help LCF as it grows into the future.