CICASP | Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology

Research

I am interested in behavioral and physiological responses to social and environmental changes in nonhuman primates. My research involves non-invasive hormonal analysis and behavioral observation to:

• Investigate the impact of environment on primate welfare and reproductive fitness
• Monitor reproductive state and stress-related responses in captive and wild populations
• Associate hormonal secretion pattern with the evolution of social systems in different primate species

Background

2013 – 2018       D.Sc. Primatology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University. Thesis: “Factors regulating steroid hormones in Japanese macaques and orangutans"

2011 – 2013       M.Sc. Primatology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University. Thesis: “Non-invasive analysis of adrenal hormones in female japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)”

2006 – 2011       B.Sc. Veterinary Medicine, Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia. Thesis: “Avaliação hematológica, hepatica e renal em Aotus azarai infulatus” (Hematological, hepatic, and renal evaluation in Aotus azarai infulatus).

Selected Publications

Takeshita RSC, Huffman MA, Bercovitch F, Kinoshita K, Huffman MA (2018). Beneficial effect of hot spring bathing on stress levels in Japanese macaques. Primates (online version). (DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0655-x)

Press

2018

“Hot Springs Lower Stress in Japan’s Popular Bathing Monkeys”. ScienceTake, The New York Times. By James Gorman, 4th April 2018 https://nyti.ms/2Gvp3JB

“Famous Japanese Snow Monkeys Take Baths to Lower Stress”. National Geographic. 4th April 2018 https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/japanese-snow-monkey-macaques-bath-stress-spd/

“New research shows monkeys use hot baths to chill out”. BBC News, 4th April 2018 http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/43641645

“Even monkeys love a spa day: Macaques in Japan are spotted bathing in hot springs to relieve their stress”. Daily Mail, 4th April 2018 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5577167/Even-monkeys-need-spa-day-Japan-study-finds.html

“Monkeys relieve stress in hot springs”. NHK World, 4th April 2018 https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180404_06/

“Spa days for snow monkeys”. CTV News, Canada. 9 April 2018 https://www.facebook.com/CTVNewsChannel/videos/1750407578353899/

2017

“Snow Day! 8 Surprisingly Snow-Loving Animals”. National Geographic. By Liz Langley, January 2017 https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/animals-winter-snow-climate/

2016

"Spa para sa mga unggoy?" (Spa for monkeys). Born to be Wild, GMA Network, Philippines. 5 March 2016.

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