Suborder: Haplorrhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Hominidae
Genus: Pan
Species: Pan troglodytes
Why chimps?
I have now been back in the UK writing up my project dissertation and disseminating my results into various articles for publication for the past two weeks. Having spoken to several students on my cohort , I have decided to dedicate the next few weeks of Primate Photos to the primate species which have been studied as part of the many successful primate projects (Primate Conservation MSc 2014, Oxford Brookes University).
This week I am dedicating the photo slot to Georgia Lorenti, who recently travelled to Africa for her final MSc project. I was particularly touched by Georgias blog about falling in love with a chimpanzee, and her struggles with anthropomorphism (the most terrible of scientific sins!) so this Georgia, is for you… and Moses.
About the photographer:
This stunning photograph is part of a unique series by James Mollison, named ‘James and other apes’. I especially love this series as not only does it portray a sense of identity by capturing the human-likness of our closest genetic kin using the frame-work of a passport photo, James did not opt to use ‘actor apes’. Upon entering his website, James states:
I decided against photographing in zoos or using ‘animal actors’ but travelled to Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Indonesia to meet orphans of the bush meat trade and live pet trade.
This obviously called out to me, as having worked with so many unwanted primate pets myself, I found his work encapsulated the individuality of each animal who all have their own personal story to tell. Stories which convey the plight of their species, in an emotive and raw way.
You should visit James Mollison’s website here:
http://jamesmollison.com/books/james-other-apes/
And of course, you should follow Georgia’s primate blog here:
http://seekingartemis.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/moses-supposes/
A world of Primates 