Chimpanzee Activity and Behavioral Diversity Extends Across 24 Hours in Both Captive and Wild Settings.

Studying nocturnal behavior is crucial for understanding the full scope of a species' behavioral flexibility so as to inform the conservation of wild populations and the care of captive individuals. However, this aspect of primate behavior is understudied, especially in great apes, which exhibit some of the widest documented behavioral diversity and flexibility. Our investigation is among the first to systematically compare the 24 h activity patterns and behavioral activities of captive chimpanzees (Saint Louis Zoo, USA) with those of wild chimpanzees (three sites across the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo) and a published data set of the nocturnal behavior of all chimpanzee subspecies.

Extending the conservation impact of great ape research: Flagship species sites facilitate biodiversity assessments and land preservation.

To inform regional conservation planning, we assessed mammalian and avian biodiversity in the Djéké Triangle, which is an intact forest with long-term research and tourism focused on western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). This critical region serves as a conservation conduit between the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park (NNNP) in the Republic of Congo and the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in Central African Republic. Wildlife inventories were conducted to determine if biodiversity in the Djéké Triangle (initially part of a logging concession) was equivalent to the NNNP.

Using operant conditioning and desensitization to facilitate veterinary care with captive reptiles.

In addition to being a large component of most zoological collections, reptile species are becoming more popular as family pets. Reptiles have the cognitive ability to be trained to facilitate daily husbandry and veterinary care. Desensitization and operant conditioning can alleviate some of the behavioral and physiological challenges of treating these species.