Investigating behavioural interactions, underlying cognitive mechanisms and ecological pressures within an evolutionary contex
Our key areas of interest are the evolution of animal societies, the interactions that occur within these societies and their link to emotion, cognition, communication, human-wildlife interactions and conservation.
By studying these interactions, we can help certain species in terms of wildlife conservation and the improvement of welfare in captive settings. Although there is a focus on studies of primates (including humans), our research extends to other species including elephants and hamsters.
We use observational, experimental, field, laboratory and modelling approaches in our research. We are engaged in several international collaborative projects on topics ranging from the regulation of social relationships to more recent developments in evolutionary psychology, cognitive evolution and captive welfare.
Selected Current Projects
Managing Conflict and Competition
Addressing the nature of policing behaviour in primates, in particular, impartial third party interventions in aggressive conflicts.
Ranging patterns in Samango Monkeys
Ranging patterns, habitat selection, and the “landscape of fear” in arboreal primates at the Lajuma Research Centre, South Africa.
Group Members
Selected Publications
Fruth, B., & Hohmann, G. (2018). Food Sharing across borders: First observation of inter-community meat sharing by bonobos at LuiKotale, DRC. Human Nature,29(2), 91-103.
Stringer S, Hill RA, Swanepoel L, Dalrymple S, Linden B, Koyama N. 2020. Assessing the role of a mammalian frugivorous species on seed germination potential depends on study design: A case study using wild samango monkeys. Acta Oecologica, 106 :103584-103584
Thatcher H, Downs C, Koyama N. 2019. Positive and negative interactions with humans concurrently affect vervet monkey, Chlorocebus pygerythrus, ranging behavior International Journal of Primatology, :1-15
Research Centre for Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology 