An analysis of the chimpanzees of the Sedgwick County Zoo

Abstract

In recent decades, much attention has been devoted to the study of primates in the wild. There has, however, been little research done on primates in captivity. This study focuses on a captive chimpanzee troop in the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas which was studied as part of a physical anthropology class project for the Wichita State University under the direction of Dr. Peer Moore-Jansen. A research method was developed in which four behaviors were observed for the entire troop simultaneously. Behaviors were chosen which may be indicators of social status and organization as they are for chimpanzees in the wild. The results of our study indicate that troop behavior in captivity may be quite different than in the wild.