Philippa Hammond finding baboons via radio collaring

New PPPG study sheds light on how Gorongosa baboons navigate seasonal risks

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We’re excited to announce the publication of a new peer-reviewed article from the Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa (PPPG), led by Philippa Hammond in collaboration with Kaitlyn Gaynor, Tara Easter, Dora Biro, and Susana Carvalho. The study, titled “Landscape-scale effects of season and predation risk on the terrestrial behaviour of chacma baboons,” has been published in the […]

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Perched high above the floodwaters, a lone baboon surveys a drowned landscape on Gorongosa’s floodplain, weeks after Cyclone Idai tore through central Mozambique. Gaunt and isolated, it clings to the last dry refuge—stripped branches and bitter leaves. Its troop, once visible in the trees nearby, is gone. This one vanished days later. While many animals managed to reach higher ground, not all could. The cyclone's toll was not just in numbers, but in moments like this—quiet, haunting, and easily overlooked.

Gorongosa’s primates after cyclone Idai – a new study & a new Doctor

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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

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Exploring Gorongosa’s subsurface: highlights from the November 2024 Geology Fieldwork

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From the 2nd to the 10th of November 2024 a geology-focused field season occured in Gorongosa National Park. Led by a diverse team including Melissa Boyd, Leu Balate, João d’Oliveira Coelho, Sidónia Tagir and Clara Mendes, marked another milestone in the Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa’s exploration of Mozambique’s rich geological, paleontological, and archaeological heritage. This short

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Tracking baboons in Gorongosa: exciting research updates from PPPG

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The Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa (PPPG) team is making remarkable progress in their research on baboon behavior and ecology in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. With the rainy season approaching, GPS collaring has been implemented to track baboons when on-foot observation becomes challenging. This innovative approach promises to yield invaluable data for several ongoing studies led by

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New publication highlights the Cheringoma Plateau’s speleological heritage

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Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa Exploring the Caves of Inhaminga The PPPG has made significant strides in documenting the unique speleological features of central Mozambique. A new paper, Caves of Inhaminga: the Speleological Heritage of the Cheringoma Plateau, Mozambique, authored by Frederico Tátá Regala, Maria José Pinto, Luís Meira Paulo, and collaborators, sheds light on this fascinating

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Lab members showcase research at ESHE 2024 in Zagreb

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The PALEO researchers delivered two thought-provoking presentations at the European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE) 2024 conference in Zagreb. Their cutting-edge research highlights novel perspectives on human evolution and chimpanzee tool use, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of early hominins and non-human primates. Coastal Forests and the Origins of Hominins Presented

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PPPG awarded Leakey Foundation grant

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Field season 2024:This summer, the Paleo-Primate Project Gorongosa made significant progress in understanding the past ecosystems of the southern rift through their systematic excavations in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. Supported by a prestigious research grant awarded to Dr. René Bobe by The Leakey Foundation, the project continues to break new ground in exploring the role

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Donner Fund grants enable Mozambican and Portuguese students to join Interdisciplinary Field School Gorongosa

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We are thrilled to announce that three students have been awarded the Joan Cogswell Donner Field School Scholarship, enabling them to join the Gorongosa Interdisciplinary Field School in Human Evolution this year. The scholarship recipients are Bruno de Sousa and Catarina Coelho from Portugal, and Ester de Sousa Lourenço from Mozambique. Ester is returning to

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