Drs Nicholas Newton Fisher and Brandon Wheeler have recently formed an exciting new research effort under the banner the “Living Primates Research Group (LPRG)”

Chimpanzee grooming Photo: Nicholas Newton Fisher

LPRG was created to integrate and foster research into the behaviour and ecology of living species of primates. Also featuring Drs Tatyana Humble, Tracy Kivell, Geraldine Fahy, Matt Skinner and Diana Samuel, the group will address fundamental questions about evolutionary adaptation using living primates as model species. The purpose of this is to provide a comparative framework for the understanding of human biology, behaviour and reproduction and to investigate the biological dimensions of anthropogenic impacts on non-human primates. Research ranges from functional morphology to behavioural ecology and physiology, to cultural primatology, mating strategies and the interplay of primate biology, ecology and conservation.