My life with primates

Abstract

In this paper I recall some of the significant moments of my career as a primatologist, including some of the intellectual conflicts I encountered between anthropology, sociology and zoology. From an initial interest in ethics and evolution, I undertook research on rhesus monkeys in captivity and then on chimpanzees in the wild. Influenced by Japanese primatology as well as Western approaches, this led to my work on the problems of describing primate behaviour, but this more theoretical approach was superseded by empirical work embodied in the founding of the Budongo Conservation Field Station. I describe the initial creation of the field station in 1990 and some of the research directions we have followed since that time. The paper ends with a focus on conservation, this being of increasing importance as the Budongo Forest faces ever increasing threats from industry.

Keywords: Budongo Forest; Chimpanzee; Conservation; Field research; Field station; Uganda.

Fig. 1

Ape with human skull. Bronze statuette by Hugo Rheinhold

Fig. 2

Map of Ugandan forests inhabited by chimpanzees

Fig. 3

Project headquarters as we found them in 1991

Fig. 4

Snare injuries of chimpanzees (see Waller and Reynolds 2001)

Fig. 5

Conservation meeting for village farmers

Fig. 6

Local farmer with goats provided by Budongo Conservation Field Station

Fig. 7

Alpha male Duane

Fig. 8

Base of dead Raphia farinifera with feeding hole made by chimpanzees. Note the bolus or “wadge” in front of the pocket knife