The Kibale Chimpanzee Research Project, initiated in 1987 by Dr. Richard Wrangham, is a comprehensive and long-term study focused on the behavior, ecology, and physiology of wild chimpanzees in the Kanyawara region of Kibale National Park, Uganda. This ongoing research, led by Dr. Emily Otali, has significantly contributed to the understanding of primate behavioral diversity, human evolutionary ecology, and chimpanzee conservation. The chimpanzee research project is done with the Ngogo chimpanzee community, which is the largest chimpanzee community in the entire world.
Key Components of the Research Project:
- Behavioral Observations:
- Daily behavioral observations are conducted on a group of approximately 60 chimpanzees, including the Kanyawara, Kanyantare, and Bureiga groups.
- Data collection involves monitoring social behavior, party composition, ranging patterns, feeding habits, health, and other aspects of chimpanzee life.
- Specialized Data Collection:
- Detailed records are kept on specific behaviors such as play, tool use, hunting, aggression, and forest phenology.
- Non-invasive sampling methods, including urine and fecal sampling, are employed for hormonal analysis and genetic studies.
- Habituation Process:
- The continuous presence of researchers has contributed to the habituation process, making chimpanzees accustomed to human observers.
- This habituation has facilitated tourism, allowing visitors to experience trekking with habituated chimpanzees.
Daily Research Activities:
- Researchers wake before dawn to locate chimpanzees in their sleeping nests.
- Once a group is located, a focal individual is chosen to be closely observed throughout the day.
- Researchers maintain a minimum distance of 5 meters to minimize disease transmission and behavioral disruption.
- Data on individual chimpanzee behavior, group dynamics, and environmental interactions are recorded.
Chimpanzee Trekking Experience:
- The habituation process has enabled tourists to trek with habituated chimpanzees, providing a unique and educational wildlife experience.
Challenges and Excitement:
- Some days are routine, filled with eating and napping, while others are marked by exciting events like monkey hunts, group conflicts, or the birth of a new infant.
- Researchers must navigate the forest terrain and maintain a balance between proximity and ensuring the chimpanzees’ natural behaviors.
Supervision and Coordination:
- Dr. Emily Otali supervises the long-term research team, which includes field assistants with intricate knowledge of the forest and chimpanzee behavior.
- The research is conducted at the Makerere University Biological Field Station, under the auspices of the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Ugandan National Council for Science and Technology.
Funding and Support:
- The research project has received support from various organizations, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, National Geographic Society, Harvard University, and the University of New Mexico.
The Kibale Chimpanzee Research Project stands as a testament to the commitment to understanding and conserving the natural behaviors of chimpanzees in their natural habitat.