The Great Primate Handshake – Volunteer in Africa, working to conserve monkeys and apes through film and educational content production

Day 14 Kibale National Park and Kasiisi School

Written by Ale Olano

16. July 2010

Today, after an early breakfast, we started our journey to Kibale National Park for a wildlife walk. Mixed feelings and expectations were raised by many of the volunteers, as it was going to be their first experience in an African National Park. At the park, we were divided in to two groups with different tour [...]

Day 4 A Fantastic time at Ngamba Island!

Written by Ale Olano

5. July 2010

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Photos by Rehmat Rayat. Today was an amazing day! We went to Ngamba Island (Chimpanzee Island); a journey that took us about one hour and a half crossing over the Equator on the beautiful Lake Victoria, starting from Entebbe and finishing in the Sanctuary. The whole day was very productive and also a breathtaking experience for some [...]

Visiting the local Ugandan community

Written by Alasdair Davies

4. July 2010

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Dance Together Uganda- One step at a time! On the second night of the handshake project we all did something slightly different. We went to a local dance class in Kampala that is part of an ongoing community project. It started in 2006 and is open to all ages. The group meets to learn a variety of [...]

World governments fail to deliver on 2010 biodiversity target

Written by Alasdair Davies

13. May 2010

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World leaders have failed to deliver commitments made in 2002 to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, and have instead overseen alarming biodiversity declines. These findings are the result of a new paper published in the leading journal Science and represent the first assessment of how the targets made through the 2002 Convention [...]

Film shot entirely by chimpanzees recorded at Edinburgh Zoo

Written by Alasdair Davies

27. January 2010

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The world’s first film shot entirely by chimpanzees is to be broadcast by the BBC as part of a natural history documentary. Article by Matt Walker, BBC Earth News – http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8472000/8472831.stm The apes created the movie using a specially designed chimp-proof camera given to them by primatologists. The film-making exercise is part of a scientific study into how [...]

2010 is the year of International Biodiversity

Written by George Tyson

19. January 2010

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The United Nations have declared 2010 the year of International Biodiversity. According to reports, the increasing loss of species across the globe is not only affecting the environment, but the well being of the human species. The UN exclaims that, “…as natural systems such as wetlands and forests are gradually eroded, we lose the services that [...]

Baboons at Knowsley Safari Park (UK) turn to potatoes to keep warm

Written by Alasdair Davies

6. January 2010

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The chilling arctic weather front currently moving across the UK is of concern to zoos and safari parks – some turning to the offer of hot potatoes as a method to keeping their resident primate populations warm. Photograph: Knowsley Safari Park/PA Original article: UK faces coldest winter in 30 years

Campbell’s monkey calls deciphered by researchers

Written by Alasdair Davies

13. December 2009

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Researchers claim to have deciphered the way primates communicate. The article by Chris Green from The Independent details the various calls made by Campbell’s monkeys with an aim to interpreting what they mean. The article reads: The secret behind the origins of human language may lie in the jungle chatter of a species of monkey, a team [...]

University of Cape Town’s Baboon Research Unit commended by WWF

Written by Alasdair Davies

21. November 2009

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The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) South Africa have commended Cape Town University’s Baboon Research Unit. “UCT’s Baboon Research Unit (BRU) has paved the way for the Cape Peninsula’s baboon population to be elevated from the status of a little known, much maligned population to one that may prove to be the benchmark for the successful management [...]

A new initiative aims to find out where are forests go: The Forest Footprint Disclosure

Written by Alasdair Davies

8. October 2009

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Article by Alasdair Davies, Web Development Director, The Great Primate Handshake. Do you know where the wood-based products you use on a daily basis actually come from? It’s a difficult question to answer as the paper trail and information necessary to identify a source is often hidden from a consumer’s eye, honestly unknown, or not declared [...]