Primate Biology, Behaviour and Conservation

Recommended Prerequisites

None.

Teaching Methods

B-learning system, with face to face and e-learning. Through a combination of lectures and seminars, students’ ability to absorb and interrogate primatological literature from an informed perspective will be developed. 

Learning Outcomes

This course is designed to ensure that students acquire knowledge of the major areas of primate biology, behaviour and conservation, and of current debates and approaches in the discipline.This course addresses questions concerning behavioural ecology and physiology, cultural primatology, interplay of primate biology, ecology and conservation, including strategies for assessing physical and social well-being and environmental enrichment. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction to the living Primate studies

1.1. Primates as study subjects

1.2. Descriptive studies

1.3. Field and captive studies

2. Primates biology

2.1. Diversity and systematics

2.2. Life histories and development

2.3. Sexuality and reproduction

3. Primates social behaviour

3.1. Cooperation and competition in social interactions

3.2. Aggression and reconciliation

3.3. Social organization

4. Primate communication and cognition

4.1. Modes of Primate communication

4.2. Learning and imitation

5. Cultural primatology

5.1. Tool use

5.2. Social traditions

6. Field methods in Primatology

7. Primate Conservation

7.1. Introduction to Conservation Biology

7.2. Primates demography and conservation status

7.2.1. Main threats

7.3. Conservation strategies

7.3.1. Conservation policies

7.3.2. Noninvasive research

8. The next millenium in Primatology.

Head Lecturer(s)

Rosa Sofia da Conceição Neto Wasterlain

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 20.0%
Synthesis work: 40.0%
Report of a seminar or field trip: 40.0%

Bibliography

1. Campbell C, Fuentes A, MacKinnon K, Bearder S, Stumpf R. 2010. Primates in Perspective. 2^nd edition. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press.

2. Fuentes A, Wolfe L. 2002. Primates face to face: the conservation implications of human-nonhuman primate interconnections. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

3. Groom MJ, Meffe GK, Carroll CR. 2006. Principles of Conservation Biology. 3^rd edition. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc.

4. Strier, KB. 2017. Primate Behavioral Ecology. 5^th edition. Boston, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.