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The life of a naturalist

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  • Primate tales: Memoirs from leaders in primatology
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Abstract

This essay summarizes some of my findings while studying primates in the field from 1962 to 2018. Although I have studied primates throughout the tropics, I focused on Africa, primarily the Kibale Forest of Uganda. My research began in the early days of primate field studies when very little was known about the behavior and ecology of most species. Consequently, I was able to study nearly anything that could be observed under natural conditions. It was not necessary to specialize, and I opted to be a generalist. In much of my work I have attempted to understand the relationships between habitat quality, social organization, and population dynamics, emphasizing the great intraspecific variability that exists over time and between areas. Vocalizations have also long been of interest to me, starting with a description of predator-specific alarm calls and later showing how vocalizations among African monkeys appear to be evolutionarily stable. As my field experience progressed, I became increasingly involved with the conservation of tropical rain forests. In the last part of this essay I offer my thoughts on current trends in field primatology and some advice to the next generation of field biologists, stressing the importance of being a naturalist.

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Acknowledgements

I thank John Mitani for inviting me to write this essay. A great many people have helped me throughout my career, far too many for me to list all of them here. I have, however, singled out those who were especially important during the early stages of my field research and have mentioned them in the text. My work in Kibale from 1974 to 1988 would not have been as productive or enjoyable without the assistance and companionship of Lysa Leland. She played a critical role in the success of our research and conservation efforts there. During the really difficult times, her moral support was invaluable. Financial sponsors included the New York Zoological Society, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation of the US government, the African Wildlife Foundation, and the National Geographic Society. I thank Theresa Pope for her editorial assistance and Richard Wrangham and an anonymous reviewer for their useful suggestions.

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  1. Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, 27708, NC, USA

    Thomas T. Struhsaker

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Struhsaker, T.T. The life of a naturalist. Primates 63, 195–215 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-022-00987-1

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