We’re thrilled to share a new peer-reviewed publication led by Megan Beardmore-Herd, now officially Dr. Beardmore-Herd 🎓, and co-authored by Meredith Palmer, Kaitlyn Gaynor, and Susana Carvalho. The article, just out in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, examines how primates in Gorongosa National Park responded to one of the most extreme recent weather events in the region: Cyclone Idai.
Using long-term camera trap data, the team tracked changes in baboon and vervet monkey behavior and distribution immediately after the 2019 cyclone. They found that baboons shifted toward less-flooded areas right after the storm, but quickly returned to their normal range once waters receded. Despite the severity of the event, primate relative abundance remained stable, highlighting their impressive behavioral flexibility in the face of climate extremes.
This study offers valuable insight into how primates may cope with rapid environmental change—and what that tells us about their past and future survival in a climate-altered world.
🧠 Read the open access paper:
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.25049
📸 Explore more on our project page:
https://paleo.group/PPPG
P.S. Congratulations to Dr. Megan Beardmore-Herd!