Retrieved Field Log No. 1
The Roots That Moved
Author: Dr. Elias Rowan
Expedition: Western Estuary Survey
Primary subject: Feeding and movement patterns of a resident capuchin troop
3 May
Reached the western estuary shortly after sunrise.
Established observation point on the northern bank, approximately two kilometres from the temporary station.
The troop appeared at 07:14.
Eleven individuals observed.
Two juveniles.
One adult female carrying an infant.
The animals spent most of the morning in a large palm-like tree approximately eighty metres inland from the main channel.
No comparable tree visible in the surrounding mangrove.
Departed at 11:30.
4 May
Heavy rain overnight.
Troop arrived at 07:41.
All eleven individuals accounted for.
The animals again selected the same tree despite several fruiting mangroves nearby.
Feeding continued for forty-eight minutes.
Fruit small, dark red and clustered beneath the upper leaves.
Collected three fallen specimens.
The juveniles remained in the tree after the adults moved east.
Branches unusually flexible.
No breakage observed despite the combined weight of the troop.
6 May
No troop activity before 09:00.
Examined tree while waiting.
Estimated height: twenty-three to twenty-five metres.
Trunk narrow in proportion to crown.
Bark smooth near the base, becoming fibrous higher up.
Leaves superficially resemble those of several palm species, though the arrangement is irregular.
Root structure unlike any specimen previously encountered in this region.
Several roots emerge above the mud before descending again at distances of one to four metres from the trunk.
Others remain exposed.
Marked four principal roots for comparison.
Unable to identify species.
7 May
Troop arrived at 07:22.
Feeding lasted thirty-six minutes.
Adult male crossed from eastern branch to western branch without descending.
The branch bent almost to the lower canopy and returned immediately after he moved.
The animals appear accustomed to this movement.
Juveniles repeatedly used the same branch to launch themselves toward a neighbouring mangrove.
The tree retained all visible fruit despite strong winds during the night.
No evidence of damage.
9 May
Collected leaf sample.
Veins do not match reference material available at the station.
Photographed trunk, crown and visible roots.
The eastern roots are considerably thicker than those facing the channel.
Possible adaptation to unstable sediment.
One narrow root extends westward without entering the mud for nearly three metres.
Its function is unclear.
Troop absent.
11 May
Troop arrived at 07:19.
Ten individuals observed.
The female carrying the infant was not present.
Feeding lasted twenty-two minutes.
Little else of note.
The tree appears to bear fruit at several stages of ripeness simultaneously.
No fallen flowers located.
No seedlings found nearby.
13 May
All eleven individuals present.
The infant climbed independently for the first time.
It remained on the lower western branch while the female fed above it.
The branch supported both without visible strain.
Returned after the troop departed.
Measured distance from western root to marked survey stake: 2.84 metres.
Measured distance from trunk to channel edge: 79.6 metres.
Photographed positions.
16 May
Tide unusually high.
Observation point partially flooded.
Troop remained in the upper canopy for one hour and twelve minutes.
One juvenile descended onto the exposed roots but withdrew when the water rose.
Several roots remained above the surface throughout high tide.
Their arrangement gives the appearance of separate trunks converging beneath the tree.
This is inaccurate, but difficult to avoid in description.
18 May
Compared current photographs with those taken on 9 May.
The western root appears closer to the survey stake.
Perspective may account for the discrepancy.
Repeated measurement.
Distance from root to stake: 2.31 metres.
Possible error in original measurement.
Will measure again tomorrow.
19 May
Distance from western root to survey stake: 2.29 metres.
Checked stake for displacement.
Secure.
Checked measuring line against station equipment.
Accurate.
Heavy rain may have altered the surrounding mud and exposed a previously buried section of root.
This is the most likely explanation.
Troop absent.
21 May
Troop arrived from the north rather than the east.
Unusual route.
The adult male stopped at the edge of the clearing and watched the tree for approximately forty seconds before approaching.
Other members remained behind him.
No visible threat.
Feeding resumed normally after several minutes.
The western root now touches the survey stake.
I may have marked a different root on 13 May.
Photographs inconclusive.
22 May
Re-examined all visible roots.
Four principal roots remain marked.
No markings found on any additional root.
The western mark is visible near the point at which the root enters the mud.
The stake has not moved.
No satisfactory explanation.
24 May
Established second survey point using two mangrove trunks and the channel edge as fixed references.
Photographed tree from both positions.
Measured trunk circumference.
Examined fallen fruit.
Seeds immature despite external ripeness.
No sign of germination in the surrounding soil.
No young specimens located within one kilometre.
The tree may be the only individual of its kind in the estuary.
26 May
Troop present before arrival.
Nine individuals in the crown.
Two juveniles on exposed roots.
The tree appeared farther north than yesterday.
Recorded this before taking measurements to avoid altering the observation after comparison.
Measurements from the second survey point indicate a difference of forty-one centimetres.
Soft ground may affect reference accuracy.
Mangrove trunks used as fixed points remain stable.
Repeated measurements twice.
Same result.
27 May
No observation of troop.
Spent morning examining soil around roots.
No drag marks.
No disturbed sediment.
No broken roots.
No cavity corresponding to a former position.
The eastern roots are now more numerous than the western roots.
This may be a mistaken impression caused by changing light.
Photographed at hourly intervals.
29 May
Troop arrived at 08:03.
All eleven individuals present.
Animals remained in neighbouring mangroves for seventeen minutes before entering the tree.
The adult female crossed first.
The others followed rapidly.
Feeding normal.
The tree stands closer to the northern edge of the clearing.
I am no longer confident that measurement error is sufficient explanation.
31 May
Wind from the west throughout the night.
No fallen branches.
No visible damage.
One western root has lifted entirely from the mud.
Its lower surface is clean.
A new narrow root descends from the eastern side of the trunk.
The new root is pale and firm.
It reaches the ground at a steep angle.
Collected no sample.
2 June
The troop reached the clearing several minutes before I did.
They remained on the southern mangroves.
None entered the tree immediately.
The juveniles called repeatedly.
The adult male descended, crossed the mud and touched one of the raised roots.
The troop entered the tree at 07:36.
Feeding lasted only twelve minutes.
They departed north.
4 June
Photographed the tree before beginning observations.
5 June
Tree now forty-seven centimetres north of position recorded on 26 May.
Measurements repeated from both survey points.
No signs of movement in surrounding soil.
The pale eastern root has entered the mud.
The lifted western root no longer touches the ground.
The trunk remains vertical.
Troop absent.
7 June
Tree has moved beyond the original clearing boundary.
The phrase is scientifically unacceptable.
I have been unable to construct a more accurate one.
8 June
Reviewed all notes and photographs.
The tree has shifted approximately 2.7 metres since 13 May.
Movement occurred northward and slightly inland.
No single observation captured the process.
No damage to roots or trunk.
No displaced soil.
No evidence of human interference.
Instruments tested again.
Accurate.
10 June
The troop approached from the east.
They stopped where the tree stood during the first week.
The adult male climbed a mangrove, surveyed the clearing and called twice.
The troop continued north.
Found them in the tree eighteen minutes later.
The tree now stands beyond direct view from the original observation point.
Moved equipment north.
11 June
Fruit production has decreased.
Only six clusters visible.
Several upper leaves have folded inward.
The pale eastern roots have thickened.
Western roots remain raised.
The tree appears prepared for movement.
This sentence will require revision.
12 June
Rain throughout the day.
No observations possible after 09:20.
Before leaving, secured a second marker beside the northernmost root.
The troop remained in the tree during the storm.
Branches bent nearly horizontal.
None broke.
13 June
Reached clearing at 06:38.
Tree approximately one metre beyond yesterday’s marker.
Marker secure.
The troop absent.
Followed tracks north until the ground became flooded.
No further observations.
Will return before dawn.
14 June
Arrived at 06:42.
The troop was present.
The tree was not.
Retrieved for the Shelves.
