The Chimpanzees of Bossou and Nimba

by Matsuzawa, Tetsuro; Humle, Tatyana; Sugiyama, Yukimaru

• ISBN13: 9784431539209
• ISBN10: 4431539204
• Edition: DVD
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-06-06
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

Bossou in Guinea, West Africa, is one of only two long-term field sites for the study of the West African subspecies of chimpanzee (Pan troglodyte verus) in their natural habitat. This subspecies is the second most endangered of the four known extant subspecies of chimpanzees, our closest living relatives. This book highlights the unique contribution of Bossou to our understanding of chimpanzees in their natural habitat and this endangered subspecies in particular. Topics addressed range from their socio-ecology, their cognition, and their ability to use stone and perishable tools flexibly. This volume also essentially highlights how research can help us conserve great apes in their natural habitat and how chimpanzees are capable of intelligently adapting to an anthropogenic landscape. The product of research and conservation efforts in and around Bossou and the Nimba Mountain has hinged upon our unique collaboration with the local Manon people, who have been and are expected to continue to act as key players in the survival of the Bossou and Nimba chimpanzees alongside with the national authorities. The greatest challenge today remains to reconcile economic development locally and nationally with the conservation of chimpanzees and their ecosystem, especially considering that Guinea today likely represents one of the last strongholds of wild chimpanzees in the region.