Talking Apes

Learn about the secrets of ape society with Dr John Mitani

Join us for the second time on Talking Apes with John Mitani, a renowned primatologist with over three decades of experience studying chimpanzees in the wild. Known for his ground-breaking research and role as the scientific consultant for Netflix's "Chimp Empire," John shares his wealth of knowledge and incredible experiences from the forests of Kibale and beyond.

From discovering unusually large chimpanzee groups to observing intricate social dynamics, John’s journey is filled with fascinating tales. His work at Ngogo has unveiled the complexities of chimpanzee cooperation, politics, and hunting strategies, revealing behaviors that were once unimaginable.

'This was a giant chimpanzee group - well over 100 individuals - much larger than any other chimpanzee community observed previously.'

John explains how long-term observations have led to unexpected discoveries about chimpanzees, their life expectancy; and critical conservation issues, including snare removal efforts and the challenges posed by the global illegal trade in wild meat.

'Ecotourism is one success story. I'm absolutely convinced there would be no mountain gorillas left without it.'

Tune in to explore the secret lives of forest apes, the importance of long-term studies, and the urgent need for innovative conservation strategies. 

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Playful Teasing in Great Apes with Isabelle Laumer

Did you know that great apes engage in playful teasing, much like human children?

Join us for another episode of Talking Apes Podcast featuring Isabelle Laumer, a renowned researcher in animal behavior and cognition at Max Planck. Isabelle and her team have conducted groundbreaking research on playful teasing in great apes, revealing fascinating parallels between our closest relatives and human infants.

In this episode, we delve into the cognitive abilities of apes, exploring what their playful behaviors tell us about their social dynamics and relationships. Isabelle's research highlights the deep evolutionary roots of humor and play, offering a fresh perspective on the social minds of these incredible animals.

Isabelle shares her insights on how young apes interact with adults in their groups through laughter, playful antics, and more.

Click HERE to watch video - Playful teasing in apes

Credits: Laumer I. B. et al., 2024, Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Click HERE to read the full scientific paper by Laumer et al. 

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Join us for this episode of Talking Apes featuring Jeremy Hance, a distinguished environmental journalist renowned for his unwavering commitment to biodiversity. With a prolific career writing for outlets like Mongabay and the Guardian, Jeremy shares his insights on conservation and the emotional challenges of his work.

Jeremy shares his lifelong love for wild things and his identity as a storyteller. He talks about the joy and challenges of covering critical issues like global warming, poaching, and species loss, and the emotional toll these topics take on his mental health.

Jeremy also discusses his book, "Baggage: Confessions of a Globe-Trotting Hypochondriac," which candidly explores his battles with anxiety, depression, and OCD while still finding joy in his work.

Discover how Jeremy's storytelling connects people to the natural world and inspires action. We also delve into the urgent need for large-scale solutions to environmental problems and the potential for humanity to make rapid, necessary changes.

"You have these people who devote their lives to a single species on our planet. That to me is so inspiring - that is a really hopeful side of our species."

Tune in for a powerful conversation about the intersection of environmental advocacy and personal resilience, and gain insight into the passion and perseverance behind Jeremy's work.

Read Jeremy's Mongabay Articles
Read Jeremy's Guardian Articles
Buy Jeremy's Book 

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Does connecting to a planet require seeing it? And at what cost to the environment,  the wildlife, and people?

Join us for an Earth Day special on Talking Apes Podcast as we chat with Ben Bressler, founder of Natural Habitat Adventures, about the transformative power of purposeful travel.

'We're passionate about conservation, and we're passionate about travel, so we use travel to affect conservation.'

A Conservation Journey:
From humble beginnings in the late 1980s, Natural Habitat Adventures has grown into a global leader in environmental travel. Their intimate, curated wildlife adventures offer unforgettable experiences while prioritizing conservation efforts worldwide.

Influencing Change:
NatHab's impact goes beyond tourism, influencing industry-wide practices and partnering with organizations like World Wildlife Fund US and GLOBIO to shape a future where travel is purposeful and sustainable.

Connect & Explore:
Discover meaningful adventures with Natural Habitat Adventures and join the conversation on Earth Day as we delve into the transformative power of purposeful travel.

Connect with Natural Habitat Adventures:

Website: Natural Habitat Adventures
Explore Trips: Our Trips
Conservation Initiatives: Electric Safari Vehicle
Watch: Make Travel Meaningful

Natural Habitat Sustainability Report: https://www.nathab.com/conservation/sustainability-report/

Social Media:
Instagram: @naturalhabitatadventures
Twitter: @NatHab

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Greetings, troop! Welcome back to Talking Apes Season 3. We're kicking off 2024 with a thought-provoking episode featuring Kathayoon Khalil, conservation psychologist and education professional with a rich background spanning zoos, aquariums, museums, and nature centers.

This week, our chat explores:

The Power of Empathy  – How it shapes our attitudes towards animals and influences our actions. Kathayoon helps us understand how empathy can be a dynamic tool for positive conservation action.

Anthropomorphism Pros and Cons - We navigate the tricky terrain of storytelling, discussing the dangers of anthropomorphism and how narratives can drive empathy for some animals while alienating others.

Decolonizing Conservation - Emphasizing the importance of diverse cultural voices and economic considerations, Kathayoon advocates for a holistic approach to conservation.

Individual Action - Kathayoon asserts that the collective environmental movement can only be driven by individual action - we can all take responsible steps toward reducing our carbon footprints.

Explore Further:
The AZA's Educational Research and Evaluation Initiative
Project Dragonfly at Miami University of Ohio
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission

Your actions matter! Tune in now to learn more about conservation action!

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Evolution - Who are we, where did we begin? The evolution of us and apes like us - gorillas, chimps, bonobos, and orangutans - likely began long before any of us resembled the apes of today. For Dr. Sergio Almécija that journey begins in the Miocene some 5-23 million years ago.

Dr. Sergio Almécija studies the evolution of humans alongside that of our living closest relatives, the apes. Modern apes and humans constitute a relict of a once highly diversified group. During the Miocene in Africa, Europe, and Asia, there was a greater diversity of apes that did not resemble or move around like any primates alive today. It is from a Miocene ape that both modern chimpanzees and hominins (the human lineage) evolved. Thus, only by studying the evolution of apes and their environment combined with available early hominins will we be able to fully understand human origins.

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Beyond Biology: Primate Pelage, Racism, and Academic Triumphs

Colour and pattern of hair and skin play a powerful role in how primates interpret and interact with others and the world.  Primates are the most colourful and pelage-diverse of all mammals.

In this episode, we dive into the vibrant world of non-human primate hair and skin colour with passionate Ph.D. student at the University of of Massachusetts Amherst, Thomas Wilson. Thomas explores the still-emerging and complex field of understanding the role, evolution, and functionality of fur colour and patterns among our primate cousins.

Why do primates have coloured hair?
What's the reason for the vast array of hues seen in primate species?
How does hair colouration occur?
Why does hair turn grey?

The second part of the episode takes a poignant turn as we explore an open letter penned by Thomas, titled 'Sincerely, a Black Primatologist: An open letter to biological anthropologists' highlighting the experiences of a black primatologist.' Thomas bravely shares the challenges he has faced while navigating the historically problematic and racist landscape of biological anthropology and primatology.

In the letter, Thomas reflects on the lingering consequences of a field entrenched in a troubling past. As a black, cis-queer student, he grapples with the haunting irony of studying bones that may have originated from slaves or were wrongfully acquired. The conversation takes a raw and honest look at the struggles Thomas faced, including the hurtful label 'a monkey studying monkeys' that a fellow student cast upon him, and the disheartening lack of support from his professors.

Thomas sheds light on the stark reality that not many people of colour enter the field of anthropology due to a historical lack of trust and financial barriers. However, he is determined to be part of a transformative generation, actively engaging in online communities and projects that provide support for minority groups in the field.

As we listen to Thomas's story, we are challenged to confront the uncomfortable truths within the field of primatology. This episode serves as a powerful reminder of the need for inclusivity, diversity, and change in a discipline that should embrace all voices and experiences.

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On this week's episode of Talking Apes Podcast, we're joined by two extraordinary scientists, Dr Cleve Hicks and Toni Romani, as they lead us into the enigmatic world of the Bili-Ape and beyond.

Few people have ventured as far and deep into the Congo's dark and secretive forests as Dr Cleve Hicks. Primatologist and associate professor at the University of Warsaw, Cleve takes us back to his thrilling early 2000s expedition in search of the mysterious Bili-Ape; a creature once rumoured to be an amalgamation of chimp and gorilla, displaying astonishing bipedal abilities and fearsome strength.

Is it a missing link, a hybrid, or an entirely new species? Cleve and his team ventured into the wilderness with no clear expectations, ready to unearth incredible discoveries concealed beneath the jungle canopy.

Dr Hicks and Toni Romani's work in western Uganda also opens up a world of secrets. From chimpanzee ground nests hidden on the dense forest floor, to the fascinating and diverse realm of ape tool 'culture'.

Join us as Cleve and Toni guide us through some of their findings:

Ground-nesting chimps
Did you know that chimps build nest-like beds in the trees every night? During their expedition, Toni and Cleve began to notice an astonishing percentage of chimp nests down on the ground. Why? And does this discovery have implications for our understanding of human evolution, offering clues about our own sleeping habits from the past? 

Elaborate tool-use traditions amongst wild chimp populations
Chimps exhibit a remarkably diverse array of tool-use practises. From using sets of sticks in a sequence to access honey in beehives to unique pounding, levering, and probing techniques, the world of ape tool culture is more rich and diverse than we previously thought.

The spread of unique behavioural practises making up 'cultural realms'
Can the notion of culture truly extend to chimps?  Cleve reveals how behavioural traits and tool-use traditions differ vastly across chimp groups and also cluster, alluding to the idea of 'cultural realms', and mirroring how cultures are dispersed and divided across our own Homo sapien world.  Can understanding these behavioural traits in  our closest cousins shed light on our own ancient history and the tools and traditions of early hominins?
 
CLICK HERE TO READ: Ground Nesting Chimps Hold Lessons for Conservation and for Human Evolution

Click here to watch Cleve's Ted Talk on chimp culture in the Congo Basin

Scroll down for photos and videos. 

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 Unraveling the Meaty Mysteries of Human Evolution with Dr. Briana Pobiner

This week on Talking Apes we journey back in time to explore our ancestral roots with Dr. Briana Pobiner. As a distinguished paleoanthropologist, Dr. Pobiner delves deep into the evolution of the human diet and the pivotal role meat played in our development as a species.

Briana, who leads the Smithsonian Human Origins education and outreach initiatives, offers a unique perspective on our shared history with other apes and our progression towards becoming Homo sapiens.  

This week we're stepping away from our usual focus on modern apes to explore the dietary habits of our ancient ancestors with Briana as our amazing guide on some key topics:

The Myth of Linearity: Dr. Pobiner shatters the common misconception that human evolution is a linear progression from chimpanzees. Instead, she unveils the intricate web of evolutionary branches that make up our family tree.

The 2% Difference: Dive deep into the significance of the mere 2% difference in DNA that separates us from our closest living relatives. Discover how this small genetic gap holds significance to our unique journey.

'The cool thing about human bodies is we’re this archive of evolution and we share a lot of that evolutionary history with our closest living relatives.' - Dr Pobiner

Meat-Eating in Prehistory: Explore Dr. Pobiner's research spanning up to 2.5 million years ago, focusing on the pivotal role of meat in early human diets. Learn how she deciphers clues in fossilized bones and identifies tooth and butchery marks to reveal the stone tools our ancestors used to process their food and other ideas about how they lived.

Coexisting Hominids: Delve into the intriguing story of how multiple species of humans (hominids) lived concurrently, painting a complex picture of our ancient world.

‘This is actually a very weird time in human evolution because there’s only one type of human on the planet - through most of our evolutionary history there have been multiple lineages, multiple different species of hominids (early humans) that co-existed at the same time - that’s something to give us pause.’ - Dr Pobiner

Scavenging and Survival: Uncover the theory that early humans might have survived by scavenging meat left behind by carnivores.

Modern Paleo Diets: Dr. Pobiner shares her insights on modern paleo diets, offering a bridge between our ancestral past and present dietary trends.

Join us as we journey through time, exploring the rich tapestry of human evolution! This episode promises to leave you with a newfound appreciation for the intricacies of our evolutionary heritage (and maybe a rumbling tummy)!

Click here to visit the Smithsonian's Human Origins Website

Click here to read Briana's articles on human evolution

Click here to see a fascinating diagram depicting human evolution

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A World Gorilla Day Special Exploring the Fate of the Colossal Grauer's Gorillas

Situated on the eastern edge of the expansive Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo, GRACE  holds the unique distinction of being the world's sole sanctuary for Grauer's gorillas.

The largest primates on our planet, yet the least known of the gorilla species, these giants are facing a dire crisis as their numbers have plummeted drastically over the past two decades. Only 6,800 individuals now remain.

'For every baby gorilla that comes to the sanctuary, we know the family was most likely killed.'

In this episode of Talking Apes, GRACE's Programs Director, Katie Fawcett, reveals the  complexities of working in a region historically marred by devastating conflicts. The difficulty of reaching these remote gorilla territories has hampered research, conservation, and tourism efforts over the years, leaving these magnificent creatures teetering on the brink of extinction.

'GRACE lies at the start of the Congo Basin - I find that wildly exciting. But access to work in that area has been very challenging.'

Can the elusive Grauer's endure the challenges of the next decade and beyond? There is hope. Throughout our conversation, Katie reveals the remarkable achievements of GRACE. Learn about their efforts in building trust with local communities and establishing a resilient Congolese team, all working toward a vision of sustainable community-led conservation.
 
'Our goal is to come out with a model of community led conservation - where the forests are protected, the gorillas are protected, and the people are benefitting.'

- Dr Katie Fawcett

Click here to visit the GRACE website.

Click here to see GRACE's 14 beautiful gorilla inhabitants.

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