The Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes

Touch-screen research at the Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes has chimpanzees learning to choose.

FIELD NOTE
A Fishing Tale
Angling for snacks with the chimpanzees and gorillas at the Regenstein Center for African Apes.

Atsalis, S., Margulis, S. W., and Hof, P.R. (eds). 2008. Primate Reproductive Aging: Cross-Taxon Perspectives. Karger Press.

Ross, S.R., Lukas, K.E., Lonsdorf, E.V., Stoinski, T.S., Hare, B., Shumaker, R. and Goodall, J. 2008. Inappropriate Use and Portrayal of Chimpanzees. Science, 319: 1487.

Wagner, K. and Ross, S.R. 2008. Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) birth patterns and human presence in zoological settings. American Journal of Primatology, 70: 1-4.

Beck, B., Walkup, K., Rodrigues, M., Unwin, S., Travis, D. and Stoinski, T. 2007. Best Practice Guidelines for the Re-introduction of Great Apes. IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland.

Halloran, A.R., Broadfield, D., Ross, S.R. and Marshall, A. 2007. Exploring diachronic change in the group specific vocalizations of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Physical Anthropology (Suppl 44): 123-124

Lonsdorf, E.V. 2007. The Role of Behavioral Research in the Conservation of Chimpanzees and Gorillas. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 10(1): 71-78.

Margulis, S.W., Atsalis, S., Bellem, A., Wielebnowski, N. 2007. Assessment of reproductive behavior and hormonal cycles in geriatric Western Lowland gorillas. Zoo Biology, 26: 117-139.

Melber, T.M., Lonsdorf, E.V. and Ross, S.R. 2007. Social learning of tool-use skills in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). American Journal of Primatology 69 (supplement 1): 100-101.

Morgan, D.B. and Sanz, C.M. 2007. Best Practice Guidelines for Reducing the Impact of Commercial Logging on Great Apes in Western Equatorial Africa. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group (PSG). 32 pp.

Ross, S.R., Lonsdorf, E.V. and Stoinski, T.S. 2007. Assessing the welfare implications of visitors in a zoo setting: A comment on Wells (2005). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102: 130-133.

Ross, S.R., Lonsdorf, E.V. and T.S. Stoinski. 2007. Assessing the welfare implications of visitors in a zoo setting: A comment on Wells (2005). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102: 130-133.

Sanz, C.M, Morgan, D.B., Strindberg, S., and Onononga, J.R. 2007. Distinguishing between the nests of sympatric chimpanzees and gorillas. Journal of Applied Ecology, 44(2): 263-272.

Sanz, C.M. and Morgan, D.B. 2007. Chimpanzee tool technology in the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo. Journal of Human Evolution, 52(4): 420-433.

Vreeman, V.M. and Ross, S.R. 2007. Do seasonal changes affect activity in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) living in a northern zoo? American Journal of Primatology 69 (supplement 1): 89.

Walsh, P.D., Breuer,T., Sanz, C.M., Morgan, D.B., and Doran-Sheehy, D. 2007. Potential for Ebola transmission between gorilla and chimpanzee social groups. American Naturalist, 169(5): 684-689.

Bloomsmith, M.A., Ross, S.R., Bettinger, T., Clay, A.W. and Anderson, U. 2006. Cross-sectional study of the behavioral development of young male chimpanzees in twenty zoos. American Journal of Primatology 68 (supplement 1): 48.

Cranfield, M., Gaffikin, L., Minnis, R., Nutter, F., Rwego, I., Travis, D. and Whittier, C. 2006. Clinical Response to Decision Tree for the Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringeii) as a Model for Great Apes. American Journal of Primatology: Special Topics Issue, 68: 909-927.

Lonsdorf, E.V. 2006. The role of the mother in the acquisition of tool-use skills in wild chimpanzees. Animal Cognition, 9: 36-46.

Lonsdorf, E.V., Ross, S.R. and Melber, T.N. 2006. An experimental, comparative approach to social learning of tool-use skills in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). International Journal of Primatology (supplement 1): 27.

Lonsdorf, E.V., Travis, D., Pusey, A.E. and Goodall, J. 2006. Using retrospective health data from the Gombe chimpanzee study to inform future monitoring efforts. American Journal of Primatology: Special Topics Issue on Disease Risk Analysis, 68: 897-908.

Melber, T.N., Lonsdorf, E.V., and Ross, S.R. 2006. The Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes: A new center for the advancement of research, conservation and education. American Journal of Primatology 68 (supplement 1): 121.

Ross, S.R. and Lukas, K.E. 2006. Attitudes and knowledge of visitors towards African apes at a North American Zoo. International Journal of Primatology (supplement 1): 27.

Ross, S.R., Bettinger, T.M., and Bloomsmith, M.A. 2006. Patterns of wounding incidents in captive chimpanzee groups with adolescent males. International Journal of Primatology (supplement 1): 27.

Travis, D.A., Hungerford, L., Engel, G.A., and Jones-Engel, L. 2006. Disease Risk Analysis: A Tool for Primate Conservation Planning and Decision Making. American Journal of Primatology: Special Topics Issue, 68: 855-867.

Bloomsmith, M.A., Baker, K.C., Ross, S.R. and Lambeth, S.P. 2005. Early rearing conditions and captive chimpanzee behavior: Some surprising findings. Nursery Rearing of Nonhuman Primates in the 21st Century. Kluver Academic Publishers, New York, New York, 289-312.

Lonsdorf, E.V. 2005. Sex differences in the development of termite-fishing skills in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Animal Behaviour, 70: 673-683.

Lonsdorf, E.V. and Hopkins, W.D. 2005. Wild chimpanzees show population-level handedness for tool use. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102: 12634-12638. http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0505806102.

Lukas, K.E. and Ross, S.R. 2005. Zoo visitor knowledge and attitudes towards gorillas and chimpanzees. Journal of Environmental Education, 36(4): 33-48.

Ross, S.R and Lukas, K.E. 2005. Zoo Visitor Behavior at an African Ape Exhibit. Visitor Studies Today, 8(1): 4-12.

Atsalis, S., Margulis, S.W., Bellem, A. and Wielebnowski, N. 2004. Sexual behavior and hormonal estrus cycles in captive aged lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). American Journal of Primatology, 62: 123-132.

Lonsdorf, E.V., Pusey, A.E. and Eberly, L. 2004. Sex differences in learning in chimpanzees Nature, 428: 715-716.
Please Note: The X-axis label of Figs. 1b and 1c should go from 0 to 100, not 0 to 1 as printed. Nature has printed a corrigendum.

Maestripieri, D. and Ross, S.R. 2004. Maternal influences on infant behavioral development in western lowland gorillas. Advances in Psychology Research, 27: 96-112.

Maestripieri, D. and Ross, S.R. 2004. Sex differences in play among western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) infants: Implications for adult behavior and social structure. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 123 (1): 52-61.

Bloomsmith, M., Kuhar, C., Baker, K., Lambeth, S., Brent, L., Ross, S. and Fritz, J. 2003. Primiparous chimpanzee mothers and their infants: Behavior, interactions, and success. Applied Animal Behavior Science, 84: 235-250.

Hopkins, W.D., Stoinski, T.S., Lukas, K.E., Ross, S.R. and Wesley, M.J 2003. Comparative Assessment of handedness for a coordinated bimanual task in chimpanzees (Pan), gorillas (Gorilla), and orangutans (Pongo). Journal of Comparative Psychology, 117(3): 302-308.

Margulis, S.W., Whitham, J.C. and Ogorzalek, K. 2003. Silverback male presence and group stability in gorillas (Gorilla gorilla). Folia Primatologica, 74: 92-96.

Ross, S.R. 2003. A guide to caring for chimpanzees (book review). Zoo Biology, 22: 609-612.

Ross, S.R. 2003. North American regional studbook for the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois.

Goodall, J. and Lonsdorf, E.V. 2002. Cultures in Chimpanzees. Oxford University Press Encyclopedia of Evolution.

Maestripieri, D., Ross, S.K. and Megna, N.L. 2002. Mother-infant interactions in western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): Spatial relationships, communication, and opportunities for social learning. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 116(3): 219-227.

Baker, K.C., Bloomsmith, M.A., Ross, S.K., Lambeth, S.P. and Noble, P.L. 2001. The behavioral effects of control vs. passive exposure to joystick-controlled computer tasks intended as enrichment for chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology, 54(1): 64.

Bloomsmith, M., Kuhar, C., Baker, K., Lambeth, S., Brent, L., Ross, S. and Fritz, J. 2001. Early interactions between primiparous chimpanzees and their infants. American Journal of Primatology, 54(1): 31.

Ross, S.K. and Lukas, K.E. 2001. Exhibit use by great apes as part of a post-occupancy evaluation. American Journal of Primatology, 54(1): 31.

Ross, S.K., Barger, N., Ganas, J., Lukas, K., Nichols, C., Megna, N., Stoinski, T. and Maestripieri, D. 2001. Maternal scaffolding of offspring behavior in western lowland gorillas. American Journal of Primatology, 54(1): 31.

Bloomsmith, M.A., Ross, S.K. and Baker, K.C. 2000. Control over computer-assisted enrichment for socially housed chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology, 51(1): 45.

Baker, K.C. and Ross, S.K. 1998. Outdoor access: The behavioral benefits to chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology, 45: 166.

Bloomsmith, M.A., Baker, K.C., Ross, S.K. and Lambeth, S.P. 1998. Enlarging chimpanzee social groups: The behavioral course of introductions. American Journal of Primatology, 45: 171.

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The Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes was created in 2004 to mark a new commitment to ape research at Lincoln Park Zoo. Located in the zoo's Regenstein Center for African Apes, the Fisher Center brings together ape experts and organizations from around the world to collaborate on groundbreaking basic and applied research, special projects, conferences, fellowships, publications and informal education.

The Fisher Center’s research mission is to initiate and conduct multidisciplinary research that will

advance the knowledge of ape biology

improve the care and management of apes in zoos and sanctuaries

conserve and protect wild populations

In all aspects of its operations, the Fisher Center offers unique training and educational opportunities for undergraduate students, student interns, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows through collaborative projects with Center staff.

Finally, as education is a core component of the zoo's mission, the Fisher Center has developed a unique public education program to educate our visitors about ape biology and conservation.

Fisher Center staff are Elizabeth Lonsdorf, Steve Ross, Sue Margulis, Sara Linick, Carson Murray, Dave Morgan, and Mark Foster.

Other staff who collaborate with the Fisher Center are Steve Thompson, Joanne Earnhardt, Dominic Travis, Eric Lonsdorf, Lisa Faust, Kathryn Gamble, Rachel Santymire and the RCAA keepers.

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