Prof Kathelijne Koops

Absolutely thrilled to announce that I will be joining the University of Zurich (@UZH_en) this summer as an Eccellenza Professor in the Department of Anthropology (@UZH_Science)! So excited to start my @snsf_ch project on the evolution and development of ape material culture! 1/3

Many carrying styles were atypical to those of living healthy & sick infants, suggesting that chimps are aware of the difference... These carrying modes included draping the corpse over the shoulders/back, carrying the corpse in the mouth, by the head/neck or tucked in the groin.

I could not be prouder of Henry Didier Camara and Gnãn Mãmy for presenting their posters on cultural differences in chimpanzee diet in Nimba at the International Primatological Society conference!!! 🐵 🇲🇬 🤩 @IPS_PrimateNews @APE_Group_UZH @JGISchweiz @UZH_Science

The 30th International Primatological Society (IPS) conference is off to a great start!! 🥳 @APE_Group_UZH united in Madagascar!! 🤩 @UZH_Science @JGISchweiz

IPS Madagascar 2025 kicked off strong with a warm welcome, primatologists from around the world, and a lively show of traditional music and dance! 🎉 @IPS_PrimateNews #IPS #Madagascar

Exploring Madagascar and loving every minute of it!!! 😍

I'd apply in a heartbeat if I could. Most creative (!) project proposal I've ever read, brilliant fieldwork opportunities, and the BEST supervising team you could wish for! Apply, apply, apply!

Chimpanzee Dian (named after Fossey) of the Tongbongbon community carrying her deceased infant in the Nimba Mountains of Guinea 😢@APE_Group_UZH @UZH_Science

Comparative thanatology (the study of how animals respond to death), offers insights into cognition, maternal bond, and grief. One response is *infant corpse carrying (ICC)*, which is observed in many animal species, particularly among cetaceans and primates including chimps

Until now, ICC in chimps had only been documented in habituated groups via direct observation. But what about the many chimpanzee populations that aren't habituated? Using camera traps, we recorded ICC in 7 unhabituated communities, at *twice* the frequency of existing reports.

Carried dead infants ranged from newborn to ~3 yrs old, and most cases involved an adult female carrier (likely the mum). ICC duration ranged from 1 to 28 days. Footage showed fresh and mummified carcasses, and in some cases, progressing from fresh to mummified.

Our data shows that camera traps can detect rare behaviours at wide geographical scales and reveal meaningful information that can help us explore leading hypotheses in ICC, such as maternal bond, post parturient conditions and death awareness.

Big thanks to all amazing coauthors & research assistants involved in this multi-site project, and the funders including among others @UKBCFs @snsf_ch @SpeciesFund @rewild @BornFreeFDN @ConserveOutdoor @NERCscience @icf_earth @JaneGoodallInst

Fab new paper on infant corpse carrying including observations on our Nimba chimps @UZH_Science @APE_Group_UZH

So so excited for this one!! Come join the K/Creative Ape Team (CAT 😉), 2 4yr PhDs fully funded on creativity in wild apes 🤓

📣ATTENTION!!! Two PhD positions on Creativity in Wild Chimpanzees and Bonobos 🤩@snsf_ch @UZH_en @univofstandrews Come join @APE_Group_UZH & Wild Minds Lab @NakedPrimate ✨Please RT✨ @EFPrimatology @PsgbStudent @BiologicalAnth @IPS_PrimateNews @PrimateEducate

The APE Group has a typical bonobo/chimpanzee-like fission-fusion social structure 😄 This foraging sub-group (or ‘party’) is saying goodbye to our emigrating female Anaïs! We so enjoyed your stay with us!! @APE_Group_UZH @UZH_Science @Univ_Toulouse

It’s a Nimba baby boom!!! 🥰 Check out all these cute additions to (one of) our study groups in the Nimba Mountains of Guinea @APE_Group_UZH @UZH_Science @JGISchweiz

Hot off the press 📢: one of the most surprising and unsettling findings of my PhD. A novel social tradition emerged in the tool-using capuchins of Jicarón island… abducting and carrying the infants of another species. Thread with gifs, videos, and all the bizarre details 👇

Did you know that chimps got rhythm??🥁 🎶 Our new study is out in Current Biology showing that chimps drum rhythmically with key elements of human musical rhythm, and that different chimp subspecies have different rhythms! @NakedPrimate @AndreaRavignani

Haaretz covering in detail our study here 🙉🥁🎶. Thank you Ruth for this one!