Among African Apes: Stories and Photos from the Field

and#147;Among African Apes is an exciting report fresh from the scientific frontlinesand#151;a series of personal, dramatic, and yet superbly informative accounts of the latest research. It also reminds us that our nearest relatives, the African great apes, are threatened as never before with the prospect of extinction.and#8221;-Dale Peterson, author of Elephant Reflections and Eating Apes

and#147;This engaging and compelling book is an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the lives of wild chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. In these narratives, set in the lush, tangled forests of tropical Africa, scientific observation meets adventure story as the lives of individual animals are intertwined with the agonies and ecstasies of fieldwork.and#8221;-Kelly Stewart, co-author of Gorilla Society and author of Gorillas

"Some of the most devoted primatologists offer a wonderful collection of first-hand accounts and splendid photographs that make us feel like we're beside them watching our relatives in the forest."-Frans de Waal, author of Our Inner Ape and Chimpanzee Politics

and#8220;Gives a fresh insight into research and conservation efforts . . . vivid descriptions reveal how chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas hunt, socialize and play in their natural habitat, as well as the threats they face from poaching, disease and deforestation.and#8221;

and#8220;If you like to think of chimps as wise, rational tool-users, gorillas as gentle giants, or bonobos as sexed-up hippie apes, be prepared for a shock. Among African Apes, a collection of field diaries, is primatology given the Tarantino treatment.and#8221;

"Compelling."--The Guardian / Birdbooker Report Blog

and#8220;Awe and surprise come through these stories of seasoned field scientists learning new things.and#8221;

and#8220;Illuminating collection of essays.and#8221;

“Compelling.” New Scientist

“Awe and surprise come through these stories of seasoned field scientists learning new things.” Ian Paulsen - The Guardian / Birdbooker Report Blog

“Illuminating collection of essays.” Nancy Bent - Booklist

and#8220;An excellent introduction to the world of primates.and#8221;

and#8220;Compelling.and#8221;

These compelling stories and photographs take us to places like Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, Ivindo National Park in Gabon, and the Taand#239; National Park in Cand#244;te dand#8217;Ivoire for an intimate and revealing look at the lives of African wild apesand#151;and at the lives of the humans who study them. In tales of adventure, research, and conservation, veteran field researchers and conservationists describe exciting discoveries made over the past few decades about chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. The book features vivid descriptions of interactions among these highly intelligent creatures as they hunt, socialize, and play. More difficult themes emerge as well, including the threats apes face from poaching, disease, and deforestation. In stories that are often moving and highly personal, this book takes measure of how special the great apes are and discusses positive conservation efforts, including ecotourism, that can help bring these magnificent animals back from the brink of extinction.

Martha M. Robbins is Research Associate at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. She is coeditor of Mountain Gorillas: Three Decades of Research at Karisoke and Feeding Ecology of Apes and Other Primates. Christophe Boesch is Director of the Department of Primatology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. He is the author of The Real Chimpanzee: Sex Strategies in the Forest, among other books.

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Who, What, Where, and Why

Martha M. Robbins

1. Discovering Apes

Martha M. Robbins

2. Life and Death in the Forest

Christophe Boesch

3. Encounters with Bili Chimpanzees in the Undisturbed Gangu Forest

Cleve Hicks

4. Is Blood Thicker Than Water?

Gottfried Hohmann and Barbara Fruth

5. Our Cousins in the Forestand#151;or Bushmeat?

Christophe Boesch

6. Discovering Chimpanzee Traditions

Crickette Sanz and David Morgan

7. Keeping it in the Family: Tribal Warfare between Chimpanzee Communities

Josephine Head

8. Winonaand#8217;s Search for the Right Silverback: Insights into Female Strategies at a Natural Rain Forest Clearing in Northern Congo

Thomas Breuer

9. The Long Road to Habituation: A Window into the Lives of Gorillas

Chloand#233; Cipolletta

10. Among Silverbacks

Martha M. Robbins

11. The Diversity of the Apes: What Is the Future?

Christophe Boesch

Contributors

Index