Erin Wessling is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and is currently serving as the Regional Coordinator for the Regional Action Plan for the Conservation of the Western Chimpanzee.
As a broadly trained primate behavioral ecologist, she is interested in the intersection of ecology, biogeography, physiology, and (human) evolution. Her expertise lies in endocrinology, stable isotopes, and ecological and survey methods. She is an experienced practitioner and advocate for the integration and application of scientific evidence into conservation policy and action.
PhD in Biology, 2018
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology / University of Leipzig
M.A. in Anthropology, 2011
Iowa State University
Certificate in GIS, 2011
Iowa State University
B.Sc. in Animal Ecology, 2009
Iowa State University
Here we describe the patterns of variation in chimpanzee density and habitat characteristics perpendicular to the northern range edge and to investigate potential environmental mechanisms for chimpanzee distribution in a savanna-mosaic habitat. Our results provide several indications of the potential limits to the chimpanzee niche and the implications of these limits to chimpanzee biogeography.
This action plan highlights how concerned stakeholders can harmonise their efforts, emphasising the critical role of regional coordination and inter- and multidisciplinary approaches in conserving the western chimpanzee. Finally, this plan also seeks to be dynamic, embedded in a monitoring and evaluation framework that will keep priorities and strategies relevant, updating objectives and information on threats as anthropogenic and ecological pressures evolve across West Africa.