My life with primates

In this paper I recall some of the significant moments of my career as a primatologist, including some of the intellectual conflicts I encountered between anthropology, sociology and zoology. From an initial interest in ethics and evolution, I undertook research on rhesus monkeys in captivity and then on chimpanzees in the wild. Influenced by Japanese primatology as well as Western approaches, this led to my work on the problems of describing primate behaviour, but this more theoretical approach was superseded by empirical work embodied in the founding of the Budongo Conservation Field Station. I describe the initial creation of the field station in 1990 and some of the research directions we have followed since that time. The paper ends with a focus on conservation, this being of increasing importance as the Budongo Forest faces ever increasing threats from industry.

Automated summary

This paper reflects on the significant moments in the author's career as a primatologist, discussing the intellectual conflicts encountered between anthropology, sociology, and zoology. It highlights the transition from theoretical to empirical research, with a focus on the importance of conservation.