Adela Cebeiro, 24, is currently a first year PhD student at New York University. She is currently doing field work at Monkeyland, the world's first free-roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary, just outside Plettenberg Bay. l DAVID RITCHIE/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA)
An American researcher has set out to prove that primates should not be caged, as those that are display unnatural behaviours.
Originally from Spain, Adela Cebeiro, 24, is currently a first year PhD student at New York University.
Working in the niche field of primate archaeology, a hybrid discipline that merges anthropology/primatology and archaeology, she is doing field work at Monkeyland, the world's first free roaming multi-specie primate sanctuary, just outside Plettenberg Bay.
The primary focus of her studies at Monkeyland has been to develop the first systematic analysis of the foraging percussive behaviours, and stone tool use undertaken by brown capuchins.
While capuchin monkeys are the non-human primates with the most comprehensive stone tool behaviour record, both in the wild and in captivity (capuchin tool use has been known since at least the 18th century), these reports of tool use and their ability to undertake complex manipulative abilities, such as nut-cracking, were thought to be limited to captive capuchin groups.
Staying in the nearby Kurland Village, a small rural township, her typical day starts around 7.30am by walking with the local residents who work at Birds of Eden and Monkeyland.
She then visits and photographs the various known nut-cracking sites, spending time with the capuchins and observing them through binoculars while attempting to identify them. This is to be able to work out who’s related to who and how they learn their nut-cracking skills.
If they have not already been given nicknames by the local guides, Cebeiro bestows them with the names of people that they remind her of. One with a funny hairstyle got the name Caleb, after one of her best friends at New York University.
Another was named Tucho, after her father, because of his particularly calm demeanour. One of her favourites is Brad, named after Brad Pitt because of his handsome looks.
Adding to her already impressive repertoire of languages (Spanish, Galician, English, French and basic Portuguese), Cebeiro has been learning Xhosa from her colleagues-turned-friends.
“I think it is very important as scientists when we go and work in places outside of where you are from, to try to immerse with the community, because you shouldn’t just go somewhere and take, but to try to give back and learn,” she said.
Being her first time in Africa, Cebeiro said while it was a little bit of a “culture shock” at first, the whole experience had made her more humble and appreciate how people live here, being happy and making do with what little they have: “I got inspired by them too… you don’t need much to be happy.”
Reminiscing on Cebeiro’s time at Monkeyland, marketing manager Lara Mostert recalls how one of the volunteer co-ordinators told her how much Cebeiro inspired her, having overcome various obstacles and hardships to get to where she is today.
She did so through pure determination, focus and drive. Mostert said she wished she had met Cebeiro earlier.
“The volunteer co-ordinator was extremely impressed with her and insisted that we must have her at Monkeyland. Cebeiro’s research will prove that primates that are caged display unnatural behaviours as they are not in a zoo set/wild environment.
“This then will disprove the ancient theories that believe primates should be caged,” she said.
To follow Adela and her work she is on Twitter at @AdelaCebeiro