Africa is a primo place to go if you’re hunting fossils, the primate kind and otherwise. South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Kenya are prime fossil hunting grounds since the landscape tends to be dry with little vegetation, making the ground highly exposed and the digging relatively easy. Though most fossils from the most primitive primates… Continue reading Primate Fossils of Africa
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Virunga National Park Celebrates Births of 7 Baby Gorillas
Virunga’s rangers couldn’t be happier with the way 2018 has begun. The first of seven births happened on January 7th, when Sebutimbiri of the Mapuwa family gave birth to a boy. Several days later four more babies were born within five days of each other. With January in the books, rangers understandably thought they had… Continue reading Virunga National Park Celebrates Births of 7 Baby Gorillas
Come on baby, do the loco-motion!
Dubbed by Rolling Stones as one of the greatest songs of all time, “the locomotion” has been making people dance for decades, but it takes on an entirely different meaning in the world of primatology. We use the term locomotion to describe the way a primate usually travels or moves about in its habitat. All… Continue reading Come on baby, do the loco-motion!
Which Great Apes are Endangered, and why does it matter?
I know it’s the weekend, but get out your paper because it’s time for a little Pop Quiz. Which of the following are endangered? (a) Chimpanzees (b) Orangutans (c) Gorillas (d) All of the above You can breathe now…it was only one question! As a primate enthusiast, you may be aware that the correct answer… Continue reading Which Great Apes are Endangered, and why does it matter?
Contagious (hooooh, hummmm) Yawning
Although scientists have yet to determine the exact function of the yawn in humans, some research suggests that yawning was used in our evolutionary past as a communication signal of some sort. Perhaps it was a means of showing off ones large teeth in a threat display or simply a way to signal to everyone… Continue reading Contagious (hooooh, hummmm) Yawning
The AAC’s Bonobo Sanctuary-Nursery in Kinshasa
The association “Les Amis des Animaux au Congo” (AAC, the Friends of Animals in Congo) is a non-profit organization which was first created in 1994 with the objective of providing food for the animals in the Kinshasa Zoo. After several orphaned bonobos arrived at the zoo, special interest was taken in their wellbeing and the… Continue reading The AAC’s Bonobo Sanctuary-Nursery in Kinshasa
Gambia Chimpanzee Expert Marsden Earns O.B.E from Queen Elizabeth
Chimpanzee rehabilitation pioneer Stella Brewer Marsden has been named an Officer of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in the United Kingdom’s New Year’s honours list by HM Queen Elizabeth II. The appointment was made in recognition of Marsden’s long-term commitment to the rescue of chimpanzees in West Africa and the community development works associated with her… Continue reading Gambia Chimpanzee Expert Marsden Earns O.B.E from Queen Elizabeth
SOLITARY CHIMPANZEE FINDS ‘FAMILY’ AT CHIMFUNSHI
A female chimpanzee that was one of the last exhibits in the private zoo of an Arab sheik has been transferred to the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia, where she will become a surrogate big sister for a group of orphan chimps in the nursery. Julie, a seven-year old female, journeyed from Doha, Qatar, to… Continue reading SOLITARY CHIMPANZEE FINDS ‘FAMILY’ AT CHIMFUNSHI
“50 / 50” DOCUMENTARIES CAPTURE CHIMFUNSHI PAL AWARD
The South African wildlife TV newsmagazine “50/50,” which has consistently shaped public awareness of chimpanzees through documentaries detailing primate intelligence, conservation efforts, and the horrors of the bushmeat trade, is the winner of the 2001 Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Pal Award. “50/50,” which is aired on the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Channel 2, will be honored… Continue reading “50 / 50” DOCUMENTARIES CAPTURE CHIMFUNSHI PAL AWARD
Chimpanzee Sanctuary Workshop in Uganda
In May 2000 Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) hosted the first meeting specifically intended to allow representatives from primate sanctuaries in Africa, their sponsors and the conservation organizations working with them, to unite their diverse skills and outline the priorities for the future. The event was prompted by the crisis in sanctuaries faced with an alarming… Continue reading Chimpanzee Sanctuary Workshop in Uganda