There are two research projects currently running at Ngamba Island by researchers from Max Planck Institute and University of Warwick.
Lou Marie Haux, from University of Warwick, UK, is running a series of studies to establish how chimpanzees make economic decisions. Do they choose a safe reward or are they willing to take a risk and play the lottery to potentially double their winnings? Is this decision related to age? Sara, the youngest participant, has been very excited to play the lottery.
The second project by Dr. Shona Duguid, also from the University of Warwick, is investigating how chimpanzees work together. her research question is “Can pairs of chimpanzees coordinate with each other for mutual benefit?” At the moment, they are learning about the task and Nani has been the surprise superstar.
These research studies are very important in the field of conservation because it is through research that people get to know chimpanzee behavior and learn their social dynamics both in the captive and natural environment. Studying chimp behavior helps us better understand human behavior through comparison of similar data. Understanding their behaviors enables the care givers to easily manage the community and improve the chimpanzee welfare.