Primate Information
The Duke Lemur Center contains the world's largest collection of captive prosimians. The collection currently numbers about 300 individuals, including such rare genera as Propithecus and Daubentonia. Most species breed at the colony and several species are kept in large natural habitat enclosures. Located near the Duke campus, the primate colony is available for behavioral and, in some cases, physiological, anatomical, genetic, karyotypic or biochemical studies. There is also a large research collection of skeletal and frozen material.
Current field sites of faculty members studying the behavior and ecology of primates and other mammals include: Brazil; Costa Rica; Peru; Venezuela; Madagascar; Namibia; and Indonesia. Laboratory facilities exist for molecular studies of primate population genetics and DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis.
Several important collections of primate fossils are located within the Department or at the Duke University Primate Center. These include fossils from the Fayum of Egypt, as well as primate fossils from Madagascar, North America and South America (Bolivia, Argentina and other localities). Many other mammals and vertebrate fossils are part of these collections. Current field projects in primate and hominid paleontology are ongoing in Bolivia and Argentina, North America, South Africa, Botswana, Madagascar, and Egypt. There are also opportunities for the study of human origins and adaptations.
- American Society of Primatologists
- Pan Africa News
- Wisconsin Regional Primate Research
- The World of Chimpanzees
- The Orangutan Network