
I am dedicated to advancing our understanding of Pan behavioral ecology by prioritizing ecological perspectives and comparative approaches, all the while translating scientific discovery into impactful, evidence-based conservation policy and practice.
I spearhead several major initiatives, including two cornerstone field research platforms—the BonDiv Project, focusing on bonobo behavioral ecology and conservation across the Congo Basin, and the Moyen-Bafing Chimpanzee Project in Guinea, studying chimpanzees living in an arid savanna-mosaic landscape. I am leading the Western Chimpanzee Conservation Regional Alliance, chairing the Working Group on Chimpanzee Cultures, and co-chairing the IUCN’s new joint-commission taskforce dedicated to the conservation of animal cultures.
Erin Wessling
I welcome inquiries from colleagues, students, potential collaborators, and journalists interested in chimpanzee and bonobo conservation and research.
For matters in Science
For matters in Conservation
erin.wessling [at] idiv [dot] de
coordinator [at] westernchimp [dot] org
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