Field Course: Primate Conservation in Tanzania

TREE Field Studies is happy to announce our new Primate Conservation Field
School in Tanzania for Summer 2011. This course will be run in collaboration
with The University of Iowa Study Abroad Program.

This course will focus on the issues facing the conservation of primates in
disturbed and threatened habitats, including an examination of the complex
problems arising between primate habitats and neighboring human settlements,
as well as deforestation and hunting. Students will observe numerous primate
species including yellow baboons, Sykes monkeys, black and white colobus, as
well as the endangered Sanje mangabey and Iringa red colobus, which are
found only here in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Throughout the
course, students will learn techniques to observe wild primates and collect
ecological and behavioral data, as well as basic conservation biology theory.

As community interaction and involvement is key to primate conservation, we
believe it is important to attempt a basic understanding of local languages.
As such, Swahili language classes will be held throughout the field course
and student participation is required. In addition, a portion of the student
participant fees will be used to allow the participation of two local
Tanzanian students with interest in primate conservation in this field course.

While the majority of the course will be spent in the Udzungwa Mountains
National Park and surrounding villages, short trips will also be planned to
Mikumi National Park and Stone Town, Zanzibar.

For more information or if you have any interest in participating in this
course, please email us at treefieldstudies@gmail.com or check out our
website at http://treefieldstudies.wordpress.com.