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Fieldassistants from tropical research stations visited the German Primate Center

„I’m keen on learning more about different primate species“
[Translate to English:] Antje Engelhardt, Leiterin der Nachwuchsgruppe Sexuelle Selektion bei Primaten, erklärt den Feldstations-Mitarbeitern Giyarto und Stephan Milyosky Lentey eine Grafik zu Östrus-Schwellungen bei Schopfmakaken, die auf Daten aus ihrer Feldstation beruht.

The German Primate Center in Göttingen has for the first time invited staff from different tropical field stations for a vocational training. 13 field assistants, camp-managers and other indispensable employees from six different countries have been at the DPZ from July 4th until July 13th. They took part in a vocational training organized by the European research-network "EUPRIM-Net", which is coordinated by the DPZ. This allround-seminar in primatology has taught the guests from Madagascar, Senegal, or Indonesia, how the data they collect in the tropical regions are processed in Germany, how they can more effectively protect monkeys against poachers or exploitation of their habitat. All participants had never been to Europe before.

Two employees from Indonesia expected the seminar to be very productive. Giyarto (28) works as research coordinator at the field station Tangkoko on the island Sulawesi. "My job beneath others is to guarantee that our field assistants collect fecal samples, which provide some of our most important data, in a scientifically proper way", he said. "I 'm really keen on learning more about different primate species." At Tangkoko scientists of the DPZ study the reproductive strategies of black crested macaques. Giyartos colleague Stephan Milyosky Lentey (37) is manager of the station. "One of my tasks is to ensure that the macaques do not get troubled by poachers", he said. "I hope to learn more about effective management at the DPZ: how to make effective schedules for example."

The DPZ maintains four field stations: In Senegal, Madagascar, Indonesia and Peru. Additionally it is partner of a fifth station in Indonesia, which has been built by a junior research group funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The employees which now visit Göttingen come from the areas around these stations and contribute important efforts to science and the conservation of the studied primates. "These colleagues are very important for us, because they convey our messages about wildlife conservation into their native societies", explained Thomas Ziegler, who organized the seminar at the DPZ. Field assistants and camp managers often teach the inhabitants of their villages how to treat the monkeys correctly: They for example explain tourist guides not to feed monkeys, so that the animals do not invade villages while foraging. The 13 participants of the seminar in Göttingen come from Madagascar (3), Indonesia (4), Senegal (2), Peru (2), Brazil (1) and Thailand (1).

Contact
Dr. Thomas Ziegler (Organizer EUPRIM-Net)
Tel: +49 551 3851-471
E-Mail: tziegl(at)dpz.gwdg.de

Christian Kiel (Public Relations Department)
Tel: +49 551 3851-424
E-Mail: ckiel(at)dpz.eu