Course Curriculum

Welcome to the Primatatology and Conservation Online Course . Here you’ll find a brief description of the subject areas that the course covers. Each Module description contains a link that will take you to the dashboard for that module.

Passwords. Each module has a password. We’ll send you the password for Module 1 when you sign up for the course. When you complete a module, we’ll send you the password for the next one.

Assessments. Each part of the course includes questions for you to answer before you proceed to the next part. Your answers to the questions will help the course instructor prepare your assessment.

Technical support. If you have problems accessing the course content, get in touch with us at support@paralatierra.org

 

Module 1: Primate Taxonomy

This module focuses on primate taxonomy and is designed to inspire you to consider a career in primatology. From great apes to leaping lemurs, Primates are spread across the tropics of the world. Before we dive into the ecology and behaviour of individual species, we'll examine what makes primates so special. On completion, you'll understand what sets them apart from other mammals and the incredible diversity within this Order.

  • Lecture 1: Primate Taxonomy

    • Part 1: Introduction to Taxonomy (5 min)

    • Part 2: Distinguishing Features of the Primates (13 min)

    • Part 3: Simmiiformes and Tarsiiformes (4 min)

  • Lecture 2: Apes

    • Part 1: Classification of the Hylobatidae and Hominidae (9 min)

    • Part 2: Focus on Homininae (8 min)

    • Part 3: Pongo, the Orangutans (6 min)

  • Lecture 3: Old World Monkeys

    • Part 1: The Cheek Pouch Monkeys (9 min)

    • Part 2: The Cheek Pouch Monkeys, continued (9 min)

    • Part 3: The Leaf Eating Monkeys (9 min)

  • Lecture 4: New World Monkeys

    • Part 1: Pitheciidae (8 min)

    • Part 2: Atelidae & Cebidae (11 min)

  • Lecture 5: Strepsirrhines

    • Part 1: Lemuriformes (11 min)

    • Part 2: Lorisiformes (6 min)

Module 2: Primate Behavior

Our shared ancestry with primates makes it easy for us to connect with their expressive faces. But are our empathetic reactions misleading? Could a grimace be mistaken for a smile? Is scratching a tell-tale sign of increased stress among many wild primates? This module looks at the behavioural plasticity of primates, their social systems, feeding strategies, reproductive behaviour and parental care. By the end of this course, you might not speak ‘monkey,’ but you'll certainly understand it!

  • Lecture 1: Primate Sociality

    • Part 1: Social Organization (11 min)

    • Part 2: Benefits of Group Living (9 min)

    Lecture 2: Primate Diets

    • Part 1: Herbivory: Leaves and Fruit (7 min)

    • Part 2: Seeds, Grasses, Insects, and Meat (9 min)

    Lecture 3: Social Learning and Culture

    • Part 1: Social Learning and Culture (13 min)

    Lecture 4: Primate Communication

    • Part 1: Tactile and Visual Communication (8 min)

    • Part 2: Olfactory, Gustatory, and Auditory (8 min)

    Lecture 5: Population Biology

    • Part 1: Introduction to Demography (8 min)

    • Part 2: Birth Rates and Mortality Rates (8 min)

    Lecture 6: Community Ecology

    • Part 1: Polyspecific Interactions (6 min)

    • Part 2: Predators, Plants, and Parasites (8 min)

Module 3: Field Methods

There's still much to learn about primate behaviour and ecology. To understand them, and the most up-to-date papers published about them, you need a firm grasp of the methods used to collect data on this fascinating group. This module lets you choose your own study topic, design a methodology, and then write your hypothesis for what you think you would find. If you fall in love with your topic, why not sign up for the PLT Primatology In-Country Field Course or a primatology internship and get into the forest with Rebecca Smith.

  • Lecture 1: Designing a Behavioural Study

    • Part 1: What is Animal Behaviour? (7 min)

    • Part 2: Hypothesis and Ethogram Creation (5 min)

    • Part 3: Data Collection - Practical Activity (13 min)

    Lecture 2: Primate Home Ranges

    • Part 1: What Influences Home Ranges? (7 min)

    • Part 2: How to Measure Home Ranges? (6 min)

    Lecture 3: Census & Survey Methods

    • Part 1: Total Counts and Line Transects (9 min)

    • Part 2: Vocalization Detection, Night Surveys and Capture-Mark-Recapture (8 min)

    Lecture 4: Non-Invasive Biological Sampling

    • Part 1: Overview of Biological Sampling Techniques (7 min)

    • Part 2: Focus on Parasitology (10 min)

    Lecture 5: Field Experiments

    • Part 1: Experimental Designs in Primatology (7 min)

    • Part 2: Constraints and Barriers to Field Experiments (8 min)

    Lecture 6: Habitat Surveys

    • Part 1: Habitat Surveys (10 min)

Module 4: Primate Conservation

Palm oil. Deforestation. The bushmeat and pet trades. What can conservationists do to combat the myriad of problems facing wild primates as we work to save species across the planet? 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction, and that number is increasing. In this module, we'll focus not just on the threats, but also the amazing initiatives led by inspiring primatologists. If we can work on these solutions together, we will have the opportunity to save these species.

  • Lecture 1: Ethnoprimatology and Ethics

    • Part 1: Human-Primate Interface (10 min)

    • Part 2: Working with People (5 min)

    Lecture 2: Environmental Education in Primatology

    • Part 1: Analyzing Our Own Motivations (4 min)

    • Part 2: Two Types of Education (7 min)

    • Part 3: Behavioural Economics (16 min)

    • Part 4: Education as Freedom (15 min)

    Lecture 3: Primates in Trade

    • Part 1: Pet, Bushmeat, and Bio-Medical Testing (11 min)

    • Part 2: Methods for Addressing the Trade (9 min)

    Lecture 4: In Situ & Ex Situ Conservation

    • Part 1: IUCN Red List (9 min)

    • Part 2: Applied Conservation (11 min)