Lecturer

Dr Crickette Sanz

Washington Unievrsity in St. Louis

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Title

Comparative Approaches to Understanding Chimpanzee Cultures in the Congo Basin

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Abstract

Complex technology is a defining feature of modern humans. The origin of this complex use of tools is not well understood, but is assumed to have emerged from simple types of tool use akin to those observed in extant great apes. However, it is still unknown why hominoids vary in their use of tools. Comparative research on the ontogeny of tool using skills provides a means to examine the specific factors shaping such differences. For two decades, we have studied the technological behavior of chimpanzees in the Republic of Congo to document not only the diversity and complexity of tool using behaviors, but also the underlying mechanisms and development of such skills in natural settings. Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) reside in sympatry with chimpanzees across this region, but very rarely use tools. We are currently conducting systematic comparisons of the behavior and ecology of these overlapping ape species to better understand what factors elicit tool use, and contrasting them with the tool-assisted foraging of hunter-gatherers. Studying the contexts and identifying the evolutionary forces which maintain differences in the technical skills of humans and wild apes will aid in understanding the evolution of material culture in the hominin lineage.

Lecturer

Dr David Morgan

Washington Unievrsity in St. Louis

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Title

Chimpanzee Behavioral Ecology and Conservation in the Ndoki Forest

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Abstract

Comparisons between wild chimpanzee communities indicate a high degree of social variation can exist depending on local environmental circumstances. Comparing social networks in different settings can aid in elucidating how environmental factors shape chimpanzee sociality. However, our current understanding of chimpanzee sociality has largely been based on long-term studies of western and eastern chimpanzees with little contribution from the central chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). An objective of the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of chimpanzee behavioral ecology in the Ndoki Forests of the Republic of Congo. To better understand the range of social flexibility in Pan, we have quantified attributes and dimensions of associations within the social network of the Moto community. We relate these findings to the ecological and social influences found within a central African lowland forest. Importantly, this research is part of a multifaceted monitoring program spanning nearly two decades which is aimed at documenting the critical attributes of Intact Forest Landscape (IFL) and threats leading to the decline of identified environmental values within the Sangha Trinational landscape. Thus, we also relate our findings to the broader issues of forest certification and biodiversity conservation in the Congo Basin.