Jill Pruetz, professor of anthropology at Iowa State University, has received international attention over the past year for her research on savanna chimpanzees in Senegal. Her February 2007 study, which reported that chimpanzees are using spear-shaped tools to hunt, received widespread national and international coverage, and it was listed second on Wired News’ list of “Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007." In April 2007, Pruetz published another breakthrough study stating that chimps were using caves for shelter from the sun.

More recently, Pruetz was featured in the February 19 PBS documentary “Ape Genius,” a one-hour special that revealed surprising similarities, and some key differences between primates and humans. For the program, Pruetz was filmed on-site in Fongoli, Senegal. To watch her in action, follow this link and then select Chapter One, “Culture Club.”

Also in February 2008, National Geographic announced that Pruetz was selected as one of 11 National Geographic Emerging Explorers for 2008. For this award Pruetz will receive $10,000 to assist with future research and exploration. Other award recipients include an environmental conservationist from Mongolia, a humanitarian/musician from South Africa, and a pair of new media cultural storytellers from Canada.    

Pruetz has studied primates in Peru, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Kenya and Senegal. Her research focuses on how the environment impacts modern primates, and the role of ecology in shaping early human behavior.  

Pruetz is co-founder of DANTA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rainforest and affiliated with the El Zota Biological Field Station in Costa Rica.

Related Links

Chimps Using Spears to Hunt Bushbabies, Washington Post, Feb. 22, 2007 

African Chimps Seen Crafting Small Weapons, NPR, Feb. 23, 2007 

Chimps Have Been Found Using Caves for Shelter, Science Daily, April 12, 2007

National Geographic Emerging Explorer 2008 Bio

For more Members in the News entries, click here.