Sleeping apes

Our closest relatives are chimpanzees and bonobos, two iconic and charismatic species that are endangered by human activity. Just like many other primates, chimpanzees and bonobos are threatened on a daily basis by loss of habitat and the ape trade, in which they are kept as pets or sold in the illegal market for bushmeat. In order to proactively contribute to a better future for these endangered animals, we are researching the behavior of chimpanzees and bonobos in captivity and in the wild, as part of our research program Projet Grands Singes in Cameroon and LuiKotale in the Congo[M1] . With a local team, we are researching how apes and people can live together outside of preservation sites. Recently, we also researched the nocturnal behavior of chimpanzees. Knowledge about chimpanzees’ nocturnal behavior and sleeping patterns is, on the one hand, important for protecting these animals efficiently. On the other hand, that data also sheds new light on the evolution of our own sleeping habits and can provide us with new information – for example, in regards to sleeping problems in humans.

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