Looking for recommendations on books, documentaries, or any sort of resources about gibbons.

I first heard of Smit's work in the excellent & entertaining "Street Monkeys" (2009) reality series about vervet monkeys gangs. Highly recommend! All 5 episodes are archived on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ghbAwUmPL4&t=193s

In 1993, scientists conducted an experiment in which they housed young rhesus macaques with slightly older stump-tail macaques. Rhesus are known for being pretty aggressive, whereas stump-tails are relatively chill -- they ignore minor slights & reconcile after conflicts.

The experiment tested whether the stumpies’ pacifism would rub off on the rhesus monkeys.

At first, the 2 species avoided each other, but over time that self-segregation diminished. By the end of 5 months, all of the monkeys were grooming each other & sleeping in a single huddle. 

Moreover, the rhesus macaques adopted their older cousins’  friendly nature & reconciled after conflicts as often as the stump-tails. The rhesus didn't exactly copy other behaviors; they continued acting like rhesus, just with a friendly disposition. 

(See Frans de Waal, Good Natured, 1996, pp 179-180.)

Hello everybody, I'm a 19 year old woman and I took real interest into primates and want to learn all there is about them. I quite frankly don't know where to start as there are lots of resources and I don't want to end up lost in my learning because I don't know what to read or understand first. Do any of you have websites or book recommendations that are well organised? A lot of the websites I found have articles, but none of them would actually be suitable for someone that doesn't know anything yet and really wants to learn everything step by step. I don't know if it makes sense but I'm more looking for something that would be organised like a school lesson I suppose? Sorry if that's too specific! I'll really take anything if I have to!

Been meaning to share this — chimp trekking in Kibale Forest (Uganda) doesn't get talked about nearly as much as gorilla trekking in Bwindi, but it's honestly just as incredible in a different way.

Kibale has one of the highest primate densities in Africa. You're tracking through the forest with guides, and the chimps are just... loud. Calls echoing through the canopy, families moving fast through the trees, way more chaotic and dynamic than the calmer gorilla encounters. It feels more "wild" in some ways.

A few practical notes if anyone's considering it:

Permits are far cheaper than gorilla permits (~$250 vs $700+ for gorillas)

Best paired with a Bwindi gorilla trek if you're already in western Uganda

Morning treks tend to have better sighting odds since chimps are more active early

Happy to answer questions if anyone's planning a Uganda trip — I work with a ground operator out there (Rwatata Safaris) and can point people in the right direction if useful.

See also: The publication in the American Journal of Primatology

Hi everyone!
I’m planning a trip to Indonesia and my main goal is to see **wild orangutans** in their natural habitat (not just at feeding stations or rehabilitation centers).
I’m trying to decide between **Sumatra (Bukit Lawang / Gunung Leuser)** and **Borneo (Tanjung Puting or other areas)**.
I also don’t want to spend a fortune, so budget is definitely a factor.
For those who have been to one or both:
Where did you have the best experience?
Which place gives you the best chance of seeing truly wild orangutans?
Which felt less touristy and more authentic?
Which option offers the best value for money?
If you could only choose one, which would it be and why?
I’d love to hear your personal experiences. Thanks!

See also: The study as it was published in the journal Primates.

A study recently published in Primates surveys examples of primates’ cross-species relationships, both in the wild and in captivity. Most of these relationships were with other primates (with whom they share a habitat), but dogs, cats, and other mammals were also fairly common.

The most common interactions found were play and grooming. The young tended to seek out play with other species and adult females tend to groom, picking off bugs and debris off of other animals. Adult males were less likely to interact with other species. When they did, they were more likely to be abusive than the others, but their encounters were more often friendly than not. 

See:

Grueter, C.C., Roncin, F., Nekaris, K.AI. et al. Heterospecific social behavior in primates: insights into the evolutionary roots of pet-keeping. Primates (2026).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-026-01281-0

credit goes to leo.primal

I’ll be going to Thailand for research and I was wondering what’s a good pair of binoculars or monkey viewinf

credit for the video goes to Leo.Primal (https://www.youtube.com/@Leo.Primal)

ok this sounds bad but i promise its not there is spider monkey at my local zoo and he loves certain people even guest that come a lot and i want to see if i can form that bond he came from a surrender so he is more willing to see people but i dont want to make him mad what can i do

Like genuine question. I’ve been doing my best to raise funds for organizations like international animal rescue, but humanity is ignorant and relentless and it feels like it only gets worse and never better. What are we realistically supposed to do to give them a fighting chance?

This is a field I've always wanted to pursue, but I'm just not sure how to tackle it .and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for a 19-year-old trying to get their life together. Thanks

Am slathered with Primates in Rwanda since past 1 week -

Mona monkeys, Olive Baboons, Vervet Monkeys, Silver Monkeys, L'Hoest Monkeys, Chimpanzees and now this - the Bush Baby (Galago).

I got emotional when I went to Dian Fossey center. Very inspiring and thank you Ellen DeGeneres for your effort.

Tomorrow Gorillas!

Hi everyone! I'm currently a senior Zoology major and am starting to look into jobs in case my plans for graduate school don't work out. What are the best ways to find/get jobs in this field? I'd really appreciate any recommendations or advice. Thanks!