Primate Research Paper
" Where pain and suffering are concerned, I can see no difference between the human and animal cases" Deborah Rudacille Pg. 45 Animal Experimentation
"HIV is a uniquely human disease: it doesn't affect any other species the way it affects humans. The surest way of discovering a vaccine and a cure is by researching the interaction of HIV with the human immune system" Peter Tatchell pg. 54 Animal Experimentation
Humans and chimps share a surprising 98.8 percent of their DNA American Museum of Natural History
"Human and chimp DNA is so similar because the two species are so closely related. Humans, chimps and bonobos descended from a single ancestor species that lived six or seven million years ago." American Museum of Natural History
Due to primates closeness to humans, it makes them valuable in biomedical research, but also ethically uncomfortable. http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/ncstate/primate.htm
"The Zoo is home to many primates" http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/primates/
Monkeys can grasp with both their fingers and their toes pg. 14
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Together the NPRCs have more than 26,000 animals representing more than 20 species of nonhuman primates, mostly macaques.
1. California National Primate Research Center: "Research projects encompass many aspects of biology and medicine, including AIDS and other infectious diseases; reproductive issues such as those associated with conception, pregnancy, and fetal growth and development;
2. New England National Primate Research Center:To be shut down where monkeys died. Living monkeys to be transported to one of the other seven NPRC facilities
3. Oregon National Primate Research Center: - Reproductive/Developmental - Neuroscience - Pathbiology and immunology - metabolic disease - stem cell therapy - Health/aging
4. Southwest National Primate Research Center:"Genetic and environmental bases for susceptibility to atherosclerosis, hypertension, osteoporosis, obesity, and cancer; construction of baboon and rhesus gene maps; genome scans for disease-related genes; therapeutic monoclonal antibodies; development of new genetic analysis strategies and software."
5. Tulane National Primate Research Center:"The regenerative medicine program involves both traditional viral-vector-mediated gene transfer as well as nonhuman primate mesenchymal and embryonic stem cells"
6. Washington National Primate Research Center: "The Center's mission is to support outstanding biomedical research directed towards significant human health issues and nonhuman primate health and biology."
7. Wisconsin National Primate Research Center: -Colony: 1,411 animals: 1,106 rhesus macaques, 260 common marmosets, 45 cynomolgus macaques. -250 core and affiliate scientists
Article: It takes at least three months to train a monkey to dance, salute, shake hands and perform the other tricks needed, Niazi said. Usually the owners go to the north-western Swat Valley or the town of Murree, outside of Islamabad, to find the babies.
Article: "This is a sheer violation of wildlife laws," said Atif Yaqub, an official at the Pakistan Wildlife Foundation. He said the monkeys are often abused by trainers who beat them with a stick during their training and put a rope around their neck so they don't run away.
Article: A man named Ataullah Niazi, 46, owns three monkeys that earn around 5$ a day. He uses this money to pay for his family.
Article: Performing monkeys are a common feature of life in many Pakistani cities where they can be seen doing tricks and entertaining people while dressed up in sparkly outfits and clothes.
Chimps outperform humans in some memory tasks. New York Times- Healthscience section
Article: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/news/the-brutal-sad-life-of-a-trained-monkey-in-pakistan/story-e6frg8ro-1226835163524 "The brutal sad life of a trained monkey in Pakistan" BY MUHAMMED MUHEISEN FEBRUARY 23, 2014 10:04AM
"The rhesus macaque is physiologically very similar to humans and occupies a key point in the evolutionary tree," said Richard Gibbs, director of the BCM-HGSC
Because gorillas and humans are so closely related, most diseases can be transmitted from humans to gorillas and vice versa. This is the reason for the glass enclosures at the National Zoo's Great Ape House. The glass prevents any exchange of disease between visitors and gorillas. pg. 81
CNPRC also works with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease; nutritional deficiencies; pulmonary disorders such as asthma, emphysema, and other chronic obstructive lung diseases;
CNPRC continued: xenotransplantation; cell- and gene-based therapies; acute and chronic stress; temperament and biobehavioral organization; social relationships; neurobiology; cognitive function; and behavioral development."
"The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. It is the only Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research, exhibition, transport, and by dealers. " https://awic.nal.usda.gov/government-and-professional-resources/federal-laws/animal-welfare-act
Chimpanzee and human genes are approximately 99 percent similar, while the rhesus macaque genes have an average of 97.5 percent identity to each. PennState Eberly College of Science
An orangutan saves a baby duck from drowning after getting a leaf and having the bird grab onto it with his beak. The orangutan then places the duckling on some grass and stroked it gently. Dailymail.uk
Chimpanzees are endangered animals, especially in the African lands and still threatened by the bushmeat trade. National Geographic
The chimpanzee immune system is surprisingly similar to ours--most viruses that cause diseases like AIDS and hepatitis can infect chimpanzees too. American Museum of Natural History
Chimps make and use simple tools, hunt in groups and engage in aggressive, violent acts. They are social creatures that appear to be capable of empathy, altruism, self-awareness, cooperation in problem solving and learning through example and experience. New York Times- Healthscience section
Most primates are higly social and form complex social units. National Geographic
Definition of primate: A primate is a mammal of the order Primates,. In taxonomy, primates include prosimians and simians. Merriam-Webster
In experiments with mirrors, researchers showed that chimps had an awareness of themselves that is absent in monkeys but present in dolphins and all the great apes. New York Times
Diseases like ebola and anthrax are taking their toll. Hunting chimps for "bush meat" is increasing. Many of the forest habitats of chimps in central Africa are being cut by loggers and land developers. As a result, Lonsdorf said, "Groups of the animals are getting closer together, which increased the threat of chimp violence and territorial disputes." pg. 56
A chimp named Loulis was not taught sign language, but learned over 50 signs by watching other chimps who had. This shows similarities in the way children learn language overtime by observation pg. 80
Goodall recalled that when she went to Africa nearly a half-century ago, at least a million chimps lived in the continent, and "now there are perhaps only 150,000." In that time, they have impressed scientists with physical and emotional reminders of their kinship to humans and their occasional triumphs over them at a computer screen.
"The least I can do is speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves." ― Jane Goodall Episode 138 of "Our Hen House"
Humans and primates share similarities in DNA ranging from 95-98% http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/ncstate/primate.htm
Article: Images are included in the article showing the inhumane treatment of the monkeys. They are dressed in clothes, have ropes tied around their necks so they cannot get anyone and are often hit with sticks when being trained.
Image: A monkey is screaming in pain when researchers are working on him.
Along with physical appearance and behavior, we share a similar family structure with most other primates: the close, loving bond between mother and child is common to us and our cousins. PBS
Monkeys are most easily distinguished from apes by their tails. Apes have no tails. Both are primates. pg. 13
WNPRC: -Funding: $91 million including core and affiliate scientists' total funding. Of that, $38.5 million supporting subprojects using Primate Center resources. Of that, $4.2 million in non-federal funding, primarily foundations and industry.
NIH-Owned Chimpanzee Research Resource at the SNPRC cont.: The research is primarily focused on vaccines and therapeutics for hepatitis C and on testing of therapeutic humanized monoclonal antibodies. However, the chimpanzees are available for other purposes as well."
Image 2: A monkey has just been worked on and the top of his had is bleeding and secured in it a foreign object. The monkey is obviously in pain and seeking compassion.
On Aug. 16, 1996, a three year old boy fell twenty feet into a gorilla pit at the zoo. An eight year old female gorilla with her baby on her back saved the boy by cradling him in her arms and giving him to the zookeepers. The boy, now 18, made a full recovery and owes his life the gorilla. CBS
Source 1: The Monkey Wars By Deborah Blum Mla Citation: Blum, Deborah. The Monkey Wars. New York: Oxford UP, 1994. Print.
Primates are tested to try and cure the Aids virus sense the 1980's- still no cure has been discovered. pg. 204
The majority of researchers that use the NPRC physical and intellectual infrastructure are funded by the U.S. Public Health Service, including most of the NIH categorical institutes, the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs), and the NIH Clinical Center.
The NPRCs also support researchers funded by non-PHS governmental sources such as the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as researchers funded by foundations and the private sector.
In FY 2011, the eight NPRCs (National Primate Research Centers) facilitated more than 1,000 individual research projects involving approximately 2000 researchers.
The NPRCs support research in all areas of biomedicine, including infectious disease, neurobiology, metabolic disease,reproductive biology, aging and many others.
Commercial, illegal and unsustainable hunting for the meat of wild animals is causing widespread local extinctions in Asia and West Africa. http://www.bushmeat.org/
The National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) provide facilities, animals and expertise for investigators using nonhuman primates for biomedical research http://dpcpsi.nih.gov/orip/cm/primate_resources_researchers
Each human cell contains roughly three billion base pairs, or bits of information. Just 1.2 percent of that equals about 35 million differences. Some of these have a big impact, others don't. American Museum of Natural History
The chimpanzee and another ape, the bonobo, are humans' closest living relatives. American Museum of Natural History
NIH-Owned Chimpanzee Research Resource at the SNPRC: "This project, which is located at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) in San Antonio, Texas, supports NIH-owned chimpanzees and makes them available for qualified research by academic and commercial investigations.
The rhesus is widely recognized as the best animal model for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. PennState Eberly College of Science
8. Yerkes National Primate Research Center: Advance molecular and biological processes for understanding, preventing, and treating infectious diseases; primate models for research on AIDS pathogenesis, treatment, and vaccines; and for other infectious diseases including malaria and TB.
University of Texas: "Research objectives are to provide physically and behaviorally healthy chimpanzees for critical biomedical research and testing; to conduct relevant research projects of benefit to chimpanzee health, productivity, and well-being. (A demographically balanced group of approximately 100 physically and behaviorally healthy chimpanzees to meet current and future research and testing needs in the United States.)"
Sign language has been chosen as the superior medium in which to conduct language instruction for primates because they are unable to vocalize language. pg. 76
Washoe is a chimpanzee who was taught to sign by her caretakers, Allen and Beatrice Gardner. She was able to effectively learn 240 signs. pg. 78
