Primate Behaviour and Conservation

This course examines the behaviour, ecology and conservation of living nonhuman primates. Primates include monkeys, apes and strepsirhines, as well as people. In addition to better understanding nonhuman primates, primatology helps us to evaluate and understand the behaviour, culture, language and biology of our own species. Additionally, it gives us valuable information that is necessary for the conservation of nonhuman primates, the majority of which are now threatened. Lectures cover a variety of topics including: scan and focal field methods, morphology and distinguishing characteristics of each group of living primates; social organisation, mating, activity, diet and community ecology. Tutorials will be focused on practicing data collection and discussing theory. Students will be trained in data collection and assigned a species of primate on which to collect behavioural data from the National Zoo and Aquarium (NZA). This data will then be used to answer a research question based in one of the theories learned in lecture. Finally, theory and data will be put in the context of primate conservation and how we can best conserve the world’s primates.