Primate-Felid Interactions Workshop 2009
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Tubney House,
Abingdon Road, Tubney, Oxon, OX13 5QL
Organised by Dr Susan Cheyne and Dr Dawn Burnham
Felids and primates interact significantly as predators and prey within
communities, but they also share a number of parallel features – both taxa
have intricate behavioural ecology, complex societies, find themselves in
conflict with people, face escalating conservation challenges and are
charismatic. Both their biology, and their potential as conservation totems,
suggest ready linkages between them, and between the interests of those
studying them. We think that a gathering of primate and felid specialists would
be stimulating and productive, therefore with an with an emphasis on
fostering cross-discipline collaborations, and with a broad remit spanning
behavioural ecology and conservation, the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit,
University of Oxford offers to host a 2-day workshop on primate-felid
interactions to be held in Oxford in 2009.
The most obvious direct link between felids and primates is predation. Recent
ideas embrace the idea of a “landscape of fear”, illustrated by the temporal
and spatial avoidance of leopards by vervets and baboons and changes in
group size. Analyses from our team are in press regarding the impact of risk
posed by lions on the movements of ungulate prey; the same notion could be
a rich vein for analysis with regard to the consequences for primates of felids
in the vicinity. Other topics for discussion might include predation pressure
and risk, the importance of primates in felid diet, mechanisms of predator
avoidance in primates and the effects of predation on primate social systems.
From a different vantage point, the role of both taxa as flagships in
conservation might better be developed (again, our unit has recently linked
the fates of orang-utans and clouded leopards). More mechanistically,
students of these taxa often use different techniques, and opportunities for
cross-fostering experiences and ideas could be fruitful.
The mission of the WildCRU is to undertake original research on aspects of
fundamental biology relevant to solving practical problems of wildlife
conservation and environmental management. The WildCRU has undertaken
research on many felid species including wildcat, Pallas’s cat, lion, leopard,
tiger, cheetah, Andean cat and jaguar. We also include primatologists, with
current research spanning gibbons in Kalimantan to chimpanzees in Uganda.
We hope this would contribute something to the mix, but particularly look
forward to welcoming friends, new and old, from other groups. We anticipate a
fascinating and productive discussion by bringing together experts with first
hand experience of these taxa.
While no dates are fixed as yet we would like to invite anyone interested in
participating to send ideas or suggested topics to be included to Dr Susan
Cheyne ([log in to unmask]). Additionally, anyone wishing to be kept
updated on dates for the workshop should please email to register their
interest.
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