School Newsletter 2018 - Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab

Researchers at the Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution lab are undergoing exciting projects in primatology and human evolution. Between 2017 and 2018, field and lab work has been conducted in Guinea Conakry (Katerina Almeida-Warren, ecology of chimpanzee technology), Ivory Coast (Lydia Luncz, chimpanzee technology of robust wooden tools), Japan (Dan Schofield, cumulative culture in chimpanzees, facial recognition from video archives and Beardmore-Herd, field course in primate genomics), Mozambique (Philippa Hammond and Lynn Bevan-Lewis, studying baboon responses to predation pressure and navigation strategies).

Susana Carvalho, the head of the lab, directed the Paleo-Primate Project 2nd Field Season in 2017 with the participation of 8 Oxford students and the Oxford-Gorongosa Field School for 2018 is now underway (see more on Vimeo). She had the opportunity to talk about the work at two major National Geographic events (Explorers Festival London and NatGeo Summit Lisbon). During the past year, the lab organised a very successful seminar series (Primate Conversations) and brought to Oxford some of the world leading scientists in the fields of human evolution, primatology and palaeontology (e.g. Richard Wrangham May 2018, see more on the lab's website).

Susana Carvalho with her students in the field in 2017

Susana Carvalho plastering a fossil in the field

Philippa Hammond and Lynn Bevan Lewis endeavour to replace camera traps in Gorongosa, Mozambique

Katarina Almeida-Warren recording chimpanzee stone tool use sites in Guinea Conakry