Sanctuary chimpanzee research

At Chimp Haven, I investigated whether visitors to the sanctuary influenced chimpanzee behavior. I found that chimpanzees behaved differently in some ways (e.g., moving more) when visitors were present, but not in a manner indicating compromised welfare. Additionally, I evaluated the feasibility of using a video camera system to collect behavioral observations of chimpanzees in a five acre forested enclosure.
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Wild chimpanzee research

My research at Ngogo occurred during a ‘baby boom’, facilitating a comparison of chimpanzee mothers raising their first offspring (primiparas) to that of mothers with two or more offspring (multiparas). This research yielded novel results, revealing that first-time mothers engaged in more intrasexual aggression and grooming than did multiparas. This highlights the importance of examining the lives of primiparas to understand how evolution has influenced the behavior of mothers. ​

Future research

I seek to continue researching aspects of the lives of wild female chimpanzees. In particular, I am interested in the interplay between female space use and social interactions.