Last day

9 August 2015

With the typhoons nearby, I was fortunate to make it back to the mainland.  I anticipated it would probably be my last night on the island (though I couldn't be sure boats would be running the next day, and it was unclear whether the weather would allow me to return another day after that), so I decided to camp underneath the stars to observe the Perseid meteor shower.  What a great night sky for stargazing!!

Camping on the beach.  No tent, but kept the bug net. 

I radioed the field station that morning and the boats were running, so I packed up all my supplies. There happened to be some other researchers visiting Koshima, so I was lucky to witness a sweet potato provisioning!  The Koshima monkeys are famous for potato washing - a classic example of cultural transmission in non-humans.  When I was an undergraduate in my first animal behavior course I learned about Imo, the first Japanese macaque to begin washing her potatoes before consumption on Koshima.  Eventually this behavior spread to the rest of the group and was passed on to the future generations.  Presently they are not provisioned sweet potatoes very often (maybe once a year), so it was pretty awesome to witness the event.  A number of the monkeys still dipped their potatoes into the ocean.

Sadly, it was my last day on the island, but it was a great day.  The weather had significantly impacted my study timeline and postponed the start of my data collection, but I was able to push myself to the limit and collect the data I needed in a very intense stretch on the island.  I can't wait to begin data analysis, learn more about fractal analysis, and see what the data tells us about parasites and behavioral complexity! I already miss the island, and hope to return again in the future for some follow-up studies. :)

Leveling up

7 August

This morning was the first time my sleeping net failed me...a cockroach got in - _-

I can image following monkeys on Koshima to be a video game, with increasing levels that one can complete with increased skill.  For instance, level 1 would be something like ‘find the monkeys.’ The next level might be, ‘follow a traveling monkey for 30 minutes,’ or, ‘follow the monkey group to the center of the island.’ I feel like I leveled up earlier this week when I followed them to the rocky side of the island and back, which involved some very steep terrain, and the last two days I’ve reach yet a higher level when I was able to follow them to the opposite end of the island.  I keep losing them at the same steep slope after following them for a good 7 hours…maybe that is the next level.

The main difference from a video game though is that here, you only get one life!

Gotta love that view!

Okara, the cutest monkey.

I made it to the summit of the island!

Statue at the highest point.

Kaba, the alpha male, taking a rest.

Today I saw my first snake on the island.  I probably would have missed it but Kizu was alarm barking at it. 

Snake!!

Here is a video of Okara feeding.  They often rub these small nuts against trees to help remove the outer layer.

8 August

Leveled up again - finally made it to the furthest point of the island!  :D

View from the other side.