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Jake Funkhouser, Ph.D.

Department

Conservation & Science

Center

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

Title

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

Education

Postdoctoral Scientist – Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich
Ph.D. – Anthropology, Washington University
M.A. – Anthropology, Washington University
M.S. – Primate Behavior, Central Washington University
B.S. – Primate Behavior and Ecology, Central Washington University
B.A. – Psychology, Central Washington University

Areas of Expertise

Chimpanzee and gorilla behavioral ecology
Primate wellbeing and conservation
Social behavior, cognition, and culture
Remote, non-invasive methods for behavioral monitoring
Biodiversity in the Congo Basin
Inclusive education in the sciences

About

Jake is a primatologist keenly interested in a broad range of species, with experience innovating methods to study behavior in sanctuary, zoo, and wild settings. His academic background in biological anthropology and comparative psychology have resulted in research on great ape social behavior, cognition, culture, welfare, conservation, and the exciting intersections of these topics. Jake is also committed to providing inclusive educational opportunities to those from underrepresented backgrounds in the sciences.

Early in his career at Central Washington University, Jake spent time in Panama rehabilitating confiscated pet monkeys and later conducted research at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Washington state. In graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis, Jake’s research involved developing new approaches to study and compare wild chimpanzees (at the Congo-Apes Project, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo) with groups living in zoo and sanctuary settings (at the Saint Louis Zoo and Save the Chimps sanctuary). He has studied the fission-fusion social dynamics of chimpanzees and intergroup relationships of wild western lowland gorillas and been involved in several projects related to the social roles, social learning, and social cognition of apes. As a postdoctoral scientist at the University of Zurich, Jake coordinated the detailed video analysis for a large collaborative project focused on the developmental origins of culture in humans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas.

Jake is an active collaborator with the Congo-Apes Project and serves on the Board of Directors for Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.

Publications

Halloran, A.*, Funkhouser, J. A.* (*co-first authors), Poirier, S., Proctor, D., Griffis, C., Conners, S., Cooley, A., Morgan, D., & Sanz, C. (2026). Freedom of choice supports social complexity in chimpanzees. iScience, 29(7). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116300
Cooksey, K.*, Funkhouser, J. A.* (*co-first authors), Sanz, C., Massamba, J. M., Ebombi, T. F., Teberd, P., Abea, G., Mbebouti, G., Judson, K., Brogan, S., Stephens, C., & Morgan, D. (2025). The extent of western lowland gorilla social relationships within and between groups. PloS One, 20(1), e0316598. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316598
Funkhouser, J. A., Boostrom, H., Hellmuth, H., Lacy, L., Bekins, S., Joshi, P., Mayoukou, W., Ndassoba, S., Singono, C., Abedine, C., Eyana Ayina, C., Claisse, E., Eslinger, E., McElmurray, P., Musgrave, S., Morgan, D., & Sanz, C. (2025). Chimpanzee activity and behavioral diversity extends across 24 hours in both captive and wild settings. American Journal of Primatology, 87: e23729. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23729
Funkhouser, J. A., Musgrave, S., Morgan, D., Ndassoba Kialiema, S., Ngoteni, S., Brogan, S., McElmurray, P., & Sanz, C. (2024). Chimpanzees employ context-specific behavioral strategies within fission-fusion societies. Primates, 65(6), 541–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-024-01165-1
Funkhouser, J. A., Gregory, M., & Sanz, C. (2024). Promoting inclusivity in ecology, evolution, and behavioral biology education through course-based undergraduate research experiences. BioScience, 74(8), 567–576. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae060
Morgan, D., Malonga, R., Agnagna, M., Onononga, J. R., Yako, V., Ikonga, J. M., Ayina, C. E., Funkhouser, J.A., Judson, K., Nishihara, T., & Sanz C. (2024). A brief history of primate research in the Ndoki forest. Primates, 65, 439–456. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-024-01158-0
Morgan, D., Strindberg, S., McElmurray, P., Zambarda, A., Singono, I., Huskisson, S., Musgrave, S., Ayina, C. E., Funkhouser, J. A., Hellmuth, H., Joshi, P., Cassidy, R., & Sanz, C. (2023). Extending the conservation impact of great ape research: Flagship species sites facilitate biodiversity assessments and land preservation. Primates, 65, 571–591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-023-01080-x
Sanz, C. M., Strait, D., Ayina, C. E., Massamba, J. M., Ebombi, T. F., Kialiema, S. N., Ngoteni, D., Mbebouti, G., Boue, D. R. K., Brogan, S., Funkhouser, J. A., & Morgan, D. B. (2022). Interspecific interactions between sympatric apes. iScience, 25, e105059, 1–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105059
Funkhouser, J. A., Mayhew, J. A., Mulcahy, J. B., & Sheeran, L. K. (2021). Human caregivers are integrated social partners for captive chimpanzees. Primates, 62(2), 297–309. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-020-00867-6
Funkhouser, J. A., Mayhew, J. A., & Mulcahy, J. B. (2018). Social network and dominance hierarchy analyses at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. PLoS One, 13(2), e0191898. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191898
Wright, K. R., Mayhew, J. A., Sheeran, L. K., Funkhouser, J. A., Wagner, R. S., Sun, L., & Li, J. H. (2018). Playing it cool: Characterizing social play, bout termination, and candidate play signals in juvenile Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana). Journal of Zoological Research, 39(4), 272–283. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.048
Funkhouser, J. A., Mayhew, J. A., Sheeran, L. K., Mulcahy, J. B., & Li, J. H. (2018). Comparative investigations of social context-dependent dominance in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and wild Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana). Scientific Reports, 8(1), 13909. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-32243-2

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