Wild primate behaviour short-video contest! Deadline 28th Feb

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  Hello Chimp&See citizen scientists (including those in the moderator and science team)!

  The International Primatological Society has released a call / competition for the "best-of" videos containing wild primate behaviours. The final selection of videos will be shown to the audience at the upcoming symposium and three videos in each category (1: normal cameras, 2: that's us, camera traps!) will be selected as winners by a jury! The purpose of the contest is to encourage IPS participants to think about how they can effectively communicate primatology through videos.

  Having spent hundreds of hours viewing just a fraction of the amazing camera trap footage captured of chimpanzees and other primates by the PanAf project, I am confident that, as a team, we may be successful in providing one of the best video clips or sequences (30-180s long) showcasing interesting, funny and/or surprising behaviors. I'm posting this on Talk so that anyone who would like can also suggest their favorite clips/sequences (from any site) to potentially be shown at the IPS symposium. If there are any, we could then decide together which to submit (by Feb 26th, let's say).

  You can find more details here on their Twitter post (I couldn't seem to find them listed anywhere else): https://twitter.com/IPS_PrimateNews/status/957633235546144773

  Looking forward to your suggestions!

  Posted January 31, 2018 4:34 PM

• by AnLand moderator

  As the video should communicate research and show the potential of this type of camera for studying behavior – at least that is what I understand from the announcement – I suggest to submit a nightchimps sequence. These are not the most attractive videos, but still by far the most exciting behavior that I have seen here at Chimp&See. In addition, the recording of night activities is one of the advantages of using camera traps for research. (Another important one is, of course, that it does not require habituation.)

  Here is the tag group collection with all night activities by chimps from all sites: https://talk.chimpandsee.org/#/collections/CCPL0000lb The collection grew quite well since starting the hashtag and there is plenty to choose from.

  Dry Lake has scenes from deep at night; Cold Fire nice early morning feeding scenes; and Restless Star a number of twilight sequences that are maybe more attractive, but not really night activity.

  Posted January 31, 2018 5:39 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  Good idea, Anja! I'll take a look through some of these in the following days and link to a few so that those interested can chip in on their favorite one - you can too if you feel up to it.

  Other ideas still welcome!

  Posted January 31, 2018 11:02 PM

• by lauraklynn moderator

  Perhaps something with #Filou and #Marlyn? I know male adoption has been documented before, but it is still quite rare, no? I know they often have researchers following them, but not always.

  Posted February 2, 2018 12:16 AM

• by Snorticus

  I have no idea how common these behaviors are but I have replayed Yakini and Bohr doing their odd finger twiddle thing so many times in ACP000ds77 and ACP000ds79 . This clip also includes the wood eating behavior and I don't know how common that is either.

  Night chimps is also a good idea I think, ACP00072bh & ACP00072bj a family interacting at 11pm.

  ACP000edbj Filou with Marlyn on his back is pretty cool, but it's only 15sec.

  Piki illustrates creative pooping technique & scampers off ACP00064oq ACP00064or ACP00064os ACP00064ot for all the scientists who do poo DNA testing like Mimi.

  David sitting on a log listening. ACP000bmfn ACP000bmfo ACP000bmfp

  Posted February 2, 2018 7:40 PM

• by Snorticus

  Guinea baboon male tummy-snuggles an infant ACP00078xy ACP00078xz

  Baby gorilla hugs ACP000bgxy ACP000bgz ACP000bgy0

  2 galagos chattering and jumping, this one is pretty cool! ACP000cb2a ACP000cb2b

  Posted February 2, 2018 8:52 PM

• by lauraklynn moderator

  From past "Best of" clips I also think the galagos having a tussle is a good sequence

  I like this little sooty mangabey being hella precious ACP00030ur ACP00030us

  Moms with offspring parade ACP000gnpq ACP000gnpr

  Dodge drumming is good too, but it is very short

  Maybe a cross-species interaction like this one ACP000dy6n (interaction is here, but there are more clips prior with multispecies)

  Or perhaps something with Roux?

  Posted February 2, 2018 9:42 PM

• by Snorticus

  We've seen so many really cool behaviors here. This is going to be challenging to narrow down.

  Posted February 3, 2018 12:31 AM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  @Snorticus - I found that finger tapping behaviour really interesting too! I'm not sure what others have to say about it, but it seems like it might be a way for the pair to recognize/confirm their relationship in a food competition situation (even though there's a whole lot of wood!)? I'm not sure how common bark eating behavior is across chimpanzee communities, but at this site the behavior is recorded often. There's an interesting paper on bark-eating habits in primates and also on the medicinal properties that come from eating certain species of tree bark, but it would be interesting to explore this behavior on a wider scale, if possible.

  The recording of Filou with Marlyn on his back is really nice, it's just a bummer that there's a field researcher following in the background.

  I really like the night shot of the family (ACP00072bh & ACP00072bj)

  BUT... that poo-ing sequence of Piki!! This is so funny. I haven't seen it before, but it has to be one of my favorite captures 😄

  Oh, but now, continuing down the list... they all keep getting better and better. I've always loved that mother-offspring parade clip and those others you linked to @lauraklynn are so good! Ah this will be way too difficult to select only one!

  I guess one way to narrow these down would be to decide if we want to submit a chimp or non-chimp video. Being that we are "Chimp&See" I'm wondering if we should submit a video of chimp behavior, or if we should show that we capture plenty of amazing non-chimp behaviours too.

  My favorites from this list narrowed down:
  chimps:
  -pooing sequence
  -mother/infant parade
  -night time family shot

  other primates:
  -being that galagos are nocturnal and quite difficult to observe in the wild, I think that sequence of them chattering and jumping might be a good choice? That way it's a night-time shot as Anja suggested, and it's both funny and cute!
  -sooty mangabey or cross-species interaction showing rough and tumble play

  Not sure that I narrowed it down much 😃 What do you guys think? Chimp or other primate? And which would you pick?

  Posted February 4, 2018 8:16 PM

• by AnLand moderator

  I take my nightchimps suggestions back.

  Posted February 4, 2018 9:00 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  I think the goal is to provide a video showing the potential of using camera traps for primate research and one which also shows an interesting behaviour - sometimes these might happen to be funny and/or cute as well, and I don't think anything is wrong with that! I wouldn't suggest selecting a video sequence which is only that though.

  Posted February 4, 2018 9:03 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  Anja - this was a reply to your post, but then it disappeared.

  Posted February 4, 2018 9:04 PM

• by AnLand moderator in response to kristinhavercamp's comment.

  Yes, I wrote that pooping and carrying young is not actually new and/or unique primate behavior. But I also aknowledge that this is a citizen science project and a broader range of behaviors might be interesting. I still think the focus should not be cuteness or fun, but nightchimps might be too specific.

  Posted February 4, 2018 9:10 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  So maybe a stone throwing clip/sequence would be good to consider too, being that it's a relatively newly 'discovered' behaviour and maybe impossible to observe without the use of camera traps? I found this collection you made here: https://talk.chimpandsee.org/#/collections/CCPL0000m6

  Posted February 4, 2018 9:33 PM

• by lauraklynn moderator

  How about this Ralph sequence? There is a lot going on that would be interesting for regular folks including wadging, swaying, piloerection, a pant-hoot, and novel behaviors primatologists may not have seen (stone throwing, drumming, and possibly leaf clipping):

  ACP0005a6g ACP0005a6h ACP0005a6i ACP0005a6j

  I like the Dodge sequence discussed here as well, as the veiw of the stone throwing is better, but the rest of the display is less visible: https://talk.chimpandsee.org/#/boards/BCP000000k/discussions/DCP00009pd

  Posted February 5, 2018 12:57 AM

• by AnLand moderator in response to lauraklynn's comment.

  Yes, I agree, especially to the sequence with Ralph, but Dodge is also impressive.

  Posted February 5, 2018 2:04 PM

• by Snorticus in response to kristinhavercamp's comment.

  Stone throwing behavior seems especially relevant to chimp&see. We do have 45 sec. of Dodge which ends with a clear shot of the stone landing and his feet drumming against the buttress. It has interest for both primatologists & the public.

  This series has the perk of building tension as good "storytelling". We get a close look at his face to begin the clip. He sits, revealing a missing arm. He seems relaxed and then launches into panthoot, stone throwing, and a triple drum. He's performing the behavior even though he has only one arm, so motivation is strong for some reason.

  ACP0005650 ACP0005651 ACP0005652

  I think this is a 2nd camera view? of that stone throw and drumming which could be edited onto the series if desired, to give viewers a second look at the fairly quick behavior.

  ACP000564a

  Posted February 6, 2018 2:13 AM

• by Snorticus

  ACP0005a9x ACP0005a9y is a good closeup view of Ralph clearly picking up a red stone and performing this behavior. The time limit is 180 sec. so a few of these clips, ala best-of stone throwing chimp clips, could be edited together.

  Posted February 6, 2018 6:33 AM

• by Boleyn moderator

  uh-oh so many nice sequences, I like all the suggestions!

  The stone-throwing is impressive though and as far as I understand it hasn't been seen before or at least not often. So this would be probably a safe bet to win one of those prizes 😃

  Posted February 6, 2018 12:22 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist in response to Snorticus's comment.

  @Snorticus - I think that's a really cool idea to combine the sequence of Dodge with the the 2nd camera view recording coming after it. I could maybe write small text over the last video stating 'replay from a different angle'. His triple drum is really impressive!

  So what do we think? It seems like most people agree on using a stone-throwing and drumming sequence. Should we feature Ralph or Dodge? I think as the call states "your video presents a single behavior or multiple behaviors exhibited by an individual or group" we should just pick one and not make a mash-up of videos taken of different individuals on different days.

  Posted February 8, 2018 4:08 PM

• by Snorticus in response to kristinhavercamp's comment.

  @kristinhavercamp I leave the content decision to you since the entry will be presented at a scientific conference using material gathered from the primate research at Max Planck Institute. I enjoyed the hunt for candidate footage, we have so much great material here at chimp&see!

  I have some thoughts on form though. Might begin with a title card saying 'stone throwing' or whatever term you've selected for the behavior to cue the audience to look for that quick behavior in between the panthoot & the drumming which are behaviors they're already familiar with. Your idea of a title card for the second camera view is good and gives them a chance to observe the behavior again if you use that sequence. The 180 sec. time frame would also allow for a final title card with project title & the name of the Institute. Whatever you choose to submit, best of luck and crossing my fingers for a win.

  Posted February 8, 2018 7:00 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist in response to Snorticus's comment.

  @Snorticus thank you for suggesting many exciting sequences! Like you said, we have so much amazing material - it's a bummer we can only submit one from Chimp&See. Hopefully someone who attends IPS can let us know which videos are selected as winners 😃

  Posted February 13, 2018 12:17 PM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  Hi everyone! I have some unfortunate news... I heard from the organizers of the IPS primate video contest that it has been cancelled 😢
  Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped select videos and I hope there will be another opportunity in the future where we can submit these!

  Posted April 10, 2018 11:40 AM

• by Snorticus in response to kristinhavercamp's comment.

  They're going to miss out on some cool stuff! Maybe next time.

  Posted April 10, 2018 8:28 PM

• by Boleyn moderator in response to Snorticus's comment.

  I so agree with you Dawna, I think Dodge is the coolest chimp ever - he's got such a great attitude ! 😄

  Posted April 11, 2018 11:31 AM

• by kristinhavercamp scientist

  So true! Here's the link to the video we were submitting, excellently made by @Boleyn 😃
  https://youtu.be/B9Vc29uHguQ

  Posted April 21, 2018 8:42 AM

• by Snorticus in response to kristinhavercamp's comment.

  Hey Heidi, Excellent wok on that clip!

  Posted April 21, 2018 8:10 PM

• by Boleyn moderator in response to Snorticus's comment.

  Thanks Kristin and Dawna, it was fun to make it 😄

  Posted April 22, 2018 5:43 PM