Crickette Sanz, PhD

Professor

Biological Anthropology

Keywords:

behavioral ecology, anthropogenic disturbance, primate evolutionary history

Research:

Professor Sanz’ research focuses on understanding the factors which have led to the emergence and promoted the maintenance of behavioral diversity in primates. She is particularly interested in the variation of social organization and material culture that has been documented among wild chimpanzee populations. Her research involves field studies and collaborative projects to examine instraspecific variation in the behavioral ecology of wild chimpanzees.

As co-principal investigators of the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project in northern Republic of Congo, David Morgan and Sanz are conducting field studies to examine the behavioral ecology of the central subspecies of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes), the social and ecological factors shaping their complex tool using traditions, and the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on sympatric chimpanzees and gorillas. These studies hold important insights for elucidating the role of ultimate and proximate forces in primate evolutionary history, which will aid in constructing valid models of human evolution from our closest living relatives.

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