Education

Baboons are one of the longest and most intensely studied of all primate species and represent an unparalleled combination of social and ecological complexity with behavioural flexibility. Baboons thus provide an excellent model to teach many facets of biological and ecological processes.

We aim to integrate technology, education, ecology and conservation in a hub of educational resources to disseminate knowledge in ways that will foster positive perceptions of and interactions with the natural world around us. We will use cutting edge, web-based technology to provide an innovative and interactive educational approach. Our first aim is to contribute to regional education efforts to increase local awareness regarding baboon behavioural ecology, conservation, and commensalism so as to reduce baboon-human conflict. Our second aim is to educate tourists about baboons and commensalism to diminish the contribution of tourism to baboon-human conflict across Africa. Our third and broadest aim is to develop classroom learning modules that use baboon behaviour and ecology to illustrate ecological processes and conservation strategies to school children. In so doing, we can help foster a greater appreciation of the natural world in the current and next generation. The target audiences for our education programme are therefore local residents, tourists, and school children, the latter being the most important target in working towards a sustainable future.