PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Renowned American anthropologist Michael Muelhenbein and his students are in Plettenberg Bay to collect data about the effects of human and primate interaction.
Muelhenbein, associate professor at Indiana University's Department of Anthropology and director of the Evolutionary Physiology and Ecology Lab, is on his third visit to the Garden Route to explore the consequences of human and wildlife interaction.
His trip to the area last year was part of a global study aimed at gauging the impact of ecotourism on primates and creating guidelines to ensure the well-being of these animals. He gathered most of his information at the Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary just outside Plett.
His focus was on understanding the risks of pathogen transmission from the thousands of tourists visiting sanctuaries and other primate centres around the world. He has conducted surveys on sustainable primate tourism throughout Malaysia, Japan and South Africa.
This time around he brought along 18 of his students who will assist him in collecting information on the topic. One Health. "It is a core concept in global health that we are deeply connected with our environment, that our health is influenced by how the health of wildlife and livestock is managed throughout the world and that our health ultimately affects the sustainability of our ecosystems," Muehlenbein said.
He added that the study into this concept called upon the collaboration of physicians, veterinarians, public health professionals, ecologists, policy makers and others to identify the complex environment that causes infectious diseases and provide possible interventions.
"It focuses, in part, on describing the ecological and population factors responsible for the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases in humans and animals, emphasising the interrelationships among our species."
Muehlenbein's students will be surveying tourists to better understand their motivations and behaviours in an effort to recognise how future tourist education can minimise risks to wild primates as well as to themselves while traveling.
"Understanding tourist motivations and behaviors is critical for wildlife conservation. Therefore my colleagues and I are collecting information on participant demographics, travel history, local experience factors, preparations for travel, importance of viewing wildlife on holidays, perceived health risks for ecotourism, personal motives for engaging in environmental behaviors, and concerns about environmental problems."
He added that nature-based tourism accounted for a growing proportion of international tourism activity and that revenue generated by such activities could enhance economic opportunities for local residents, support environmental education, and protect the natural and cultural heritage of the area, including the conservation of biodiversity.
"But because of their genetic relatedness with humans, other primates are particularly susceptible to human infections," Muehlenbein said.
The major infections that can threaten primate populations are usually respiratory viruses and bacteria. "But these animals can also be very sensitive to our herpes viruses, like the ones that cause coldsores, and chickenpox. Many primates have died from metapneumovirus and polio transmitted from humans."
"We are generally a species with intensive affinity for close interaction with monkeys and apes. The internet is full of pictures of people holding or feeding primates.
Many professional primatologists are guilty of this as well, with their own websites or books full of pictures of them holding hands with chimpanzees, or allowing a monkey to crawl on them. Famous actors are portrayed in documentaries caring for orphaned orangutans, setting a further bad example that close contact is acceptable.
"Why do we wish to participate in such risky activities? Young primates are very cute, adults of many species can be quite neotenous, and we can readily see behaviors in these animals that mirror our own. These reasons seem to outweigh common sense sometimes."
Additionally Muehlenbein and his team have been working to evaluate the effectiveness of primate education at Monkeyland, and are now beginning to engage the local community of Kurland with their research findings.
Therefore, on Saturday, May 30 the group will be hosting a wildlife awareness campaign at the Kurland Community Hall. "The purpose is to provide entertaining activities that educate children of all ages about the importance of wildlife conservation for ecosystem sustainability."
The event will be held between 11:00 and 17:00.
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ARTICLE: YOLANDé STANDER, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD CORRESPONDENT.
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