CICASP | Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology

We are excited to welcome back Dr. Fred Bercovitch, a former CICASP professor, for the 21st International Primatology Lecture, titled “Tarzan + Darwin = Conservation + Evolution”. Dr. Bercovitch will discuss how two books—Tarzan of the Apes and The Origin of Species—had formative influences on his career, which was propelled by his twin passions for conservation science and evolutionary biology.

About the speaker: Fred Bercovitch is a comparative wildlife biologist, who has studied animal behavior, ecology, genetics, endocrinology, conservation, anatomy, and evolution. His Master’s Thesis from Arizona State University was based upon a study of aggressive behavior between captive female lesser galagos. He earned his Ph.D. from UCLA following a nearly two-year study of the reproductive behavior of baboons in Kenya. After that, he spent three years at the Wisconsin National Primate Center conducting research on sex differences in developmental biology and reproductive neuroendocrinology of rhesus macaques.

He has worked at the Caribbean Primate Research Center, the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and Kyoto University before retiring and launching a non-profit organization aimed at saving giraffes from extinction. In addition to galagos, baboons, and rhesus monkeys, he has studied giraffes and elephants in Africa, koalas in Australia, and Nile lechwe, California condors, and cheetahs in captive surroundings. He has over 160 publications in diverse scientific journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Evolution, Hormones and Behavior, Journal of Comparative Endocrinology, Animal Behaviour, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Journal of Mammalogy, International Journal of Primatology, Folia Primatologica, American Journal of Primatology, and Primates. He is currently the Conservation Science advisor to the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation.

Livestream on CICASP YouTube Channel

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Time: 11:00 Japan Standard Time (GMT+9)

International Primatology Lectures on Past, Present and Future Perspectives of the Field

In this lecture series, we explore various origin stories as told by famed members of our primatology comunity. Most lectures are live-streamed and archived on our CICASP YouTube Channel.

Unlike most academic lectures, which are usually focused on testing scientific hypotheses, this series is designed to offer a feel for how one becomes a professional in the field of primatology. In a way, we might think of it as a career primer for young primatologists just starting their own journeys into the nether regions of Academia. At the same time, anyone might enjoy the stories told of big dreams, exotic locations and species, and the humanity inherent in forging a new path in life and in work. 

Check out all videos in this series on our CICASP YouTube channel playlist, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all our activities.