{"id":28873,"date":"2021-10-14T09:26:51","date_gmt":"2021-10-14T08:26:51","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=28873"},"modified":"2021-10-14T09:33:25","modified_gmt":"2021-10-14T08:33:25","slug":"what-does-a-primatologist-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stonebridge.uk.com\/blog\/animal-care\/zookeeping-zoology\/what-does-a-primatologist-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does a Primatologist Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chimps, apes and other primate species are admired and adored by many. People find them both entertaining and interesting to watch, and what they may not initially realise is their captivation stems from the fact their behaviours are much like ours.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you find yourself fascinated by these different yet similar animals, you can work with them professionally in your career. A primatologist in simple terms is a scientist who studies primates, but with the diverse range of information we unearth from the study of primates, it\u2019s certainly not a simple choice of careers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many ways you can work as a primatologist depending on what area you intend to focus on. Though, rest assured, each is as fascinating and rewarding as the next.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of Studying Primates <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The study of primates is important for so many reasons, one of the main ones being that we have discovered how vital they are to the survival of other life in their environments.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primates are often responsible for the dispersal of seeds from plants that many other wild creatures use as a main source of food. Their migration over large distances also helps to regenerate forests so that more life can thrive within them. Primates also play a pivotal part in the food chain as they act as both predator and prey in a food network that would struggle to function without them.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through primate animal studies, we examine their needs and behaviours so we can see what we need to do to help them thrive in the wild and other environments. We can now see how they need large undisturbed forests to remain safe from harmful human behaviour, as well as human and pet-transmitted diseases and parasites. We also know that deforestation for crops is one of the leading causes of their decline.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of studying non-human primates doesn\u2019t stop there, as humans are a species of primate themselves, we also learn a lot about our ancestors by studying primate intelligence and thought processes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do Primatologists Study Primates? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As there are so many things we can learn from the study of primates, the way in which you study them depends on what you are trying to learn or do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may be trying to understand primate behaviour, perform biomedical and reproduction studies, learn about ecology and conservation, or increase their numbers through breeding programmes. As such, primatologists tend to come from biology, medical research, anthropology or zoology backgrounds.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, how primatologists study primates is within a zoo or other domestic habitat, in a laboratory or out in the field in their natural environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Primatology Career Opportunities <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many different types of roles a primatologist can perform and each will come with its own range of duties. The main ones include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Primatology Professor<\/em> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A popular choice is to work in academia as a professor, where your role would be split between teaching and conducting research. You would: <\/p>\n\n\n\n