About
The first video of the series, What Do Primatologists Do? is a little different than the others because it is a combination of slides and video footage, intended to introduce the topic of observing primates and the author of these videos. She is a field primatologist with over 20 years experience and shot all the video footage herself in several parts of the world. This video is intended to look at a range of ways primates can be studied, illustrated with slides and video taken at Camp Leakey in Kalimantan, Borneo, where Bivut Galdikas has been conducting research in orangutans for over 25 years.
The video includes discussion of research done in a colony or enclosure situation, with animals being rehabilitated to the wild, with ex-captive animals, wild apes and monkeys in both swamps and dry forests, interspecies interactions, and morphometric studies in which the animals must be restrained. It focuses on what kinds of problems are encountered in setting up a research project and some of the requirements force a successful outcome. It also includes a section on conservation concerns and the need to recognize your responsibilities when living in the habitat of others. It is a lively clear discussion of some of the obstacles, encounters, and rewards which can arise from this field of study.
Credits
SCREENINGS & AWARDS
Society of Visual Anthropology Film Festival