Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group

Here at the Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group we are interested in the evolutionary origins of great ape behaviour, including our own. We are especially curious about the evolutionary drivers that led to the emergence of complex technology in the human lineage.

Our research tackles both the evolution of material culture across species, as well as the development of tool use skills in youngsters. We do field work with wild chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas in the Congo Basin Forest, and we work with human populations in the Congo Basin and Switzerland.

We also run a long-term chimpanzee study site in the Nimba Mountains in Guinea, West Africa. Research topics here include foraging (incl. tool use), sociality, ranging, habitat use and conservation genetics. We use our research findings to inform the development of conservation strategies to protect the apes and their habitat.

We warmly welcome applications from potential Master’s students, Ph.D. students, post-doctoral researchers, and visiting researchers.

Group Members Please visit our website: www.apegroup-uzh.com

Are you interested in doing a Masters project or an internship in our group? Please do not hesitate to contact us!

Available MSc and Intern Projects in the APE group (PDF, 455 KB)