The graduate program in Primate Behavior at Central Washington University provides the only opportunity for students to earn an MS degree in Primatology in the United States.

The program focuses on interdisciplinary, problem-oriented, broad-spectrum knowledge relating to primates, with a particular focus on conservation issues. Students entering the program will be exposed to coursework and practical experience in the areas of anthropology, biology and psychology and will have opportunities to conduct sanctuary, zoo, and/or field research under the guidance of faculty mentors. The program serves students who will enter the work force for employment in sanctuaries, zoos, field research, conservation agencies, or teaching, or who will continue on to Ph.D. programs.

This collection features theses from Master of Science students in the Department of Primate Behavior Graduate Program at Central Washington University.

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Theses from 2024

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Height Location and Behavior in Eastern Black-and-White Colobus (Colobus guereza) Associated with Zoo Visitor Characteristics, Alister Brown

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Comparison of Gesture Articulation Across Wild Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Communities, E. Chadwick de Bree

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Comparing the Prevalence of Stereotypic Behaviors and Enrichment Use in Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Japanese Macaques (M. fuscata), Jesscia Oscavich

Theses from 2023

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INFANT-MATERNAL BEHAVIORS DURING NON-MATERNAL INFANT HANDLING INTERACTIONS IN CAPTIVE LONG- TAILED MACAQUES (MACACA FASCICULARIS), Kristy abney

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Using Primates as a Flagship Species in Marketing Campaigns: Effects on Proenvironmental Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions, Taylor Barber

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The Use of Field Philosophy in Conserving the World's Rarest Ape, the Hainan Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus): A Philosophical Engagement With Researchers and Conservationists, Jocelyn Callahan

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Identifying Paternal Behavior in Captive Sumatran (Pongo abelli) and Hybrid Orangutans (Pongo abelii X Pongo pygmaeus), Lilith Frakes

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Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Skin Temperature During Resting Behavior at Different Ambient Temperatures, Benjamin Lake

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Comparability of Personality Assessments in a Captive Population of Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata), Payton Livingston

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The Influence of Behaviorally Matched Play Gestures on the Duration of Social Play Bouts in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Naylea Lopez

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Evaluating Mirror-Guided Behaviors in Hylobatids, Desiree Peck

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Intestinal Parasite Infection in Tibetan Macaques (Macac Thebetana) in Eastern China, Miarisoa Ramilison

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Forest Patrol Guards and Caregivers' Perceptions of Wild Chimpanzee Populations Near Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Sierra Leone, Virginia Sanchez

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STAFF PERCEPTIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COGNITIVE ENRICHMENT FOR NON-HUMAN PRIMATES IN ZOO SETTINGS, Ember Nevada Toth

Theses from 2022

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The Blackness: Analyzing and Confronting the Underrepresentation of Black Americans in Primatology, Trevon Covington

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Attachment Style and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) Infants, Elizabeth DeBruyn

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Using Capture-Recapture to Estimate Population Size: A Case Study Assessing Homelessness in Kittitas County, WA, and the Applicability of the Capture-Recapture Method to Primate Species Estimates, Ryan Domitz

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Examining Enrichment Use by Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Julia L. Greeson

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Examining the Function of Stone Wrapping Behavioral Pattern in Balinese Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis), Patricia Mitchell

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Factors Influencing Intestinal Parasite in Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata), Eliette Noromalala

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The Use of Gesture Forms Within Sequence in Free-Living Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) In Gombe National Park, Tanzania, Caroline Ratliff

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A Comparison of Chimpanzee Wound Rates Before and During COVID-19 Zoo Closures, Robin Elana Salak

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Distribution of Capped Langurs (Trachypithecus pileatus) in Bhutan, Kelsie Strong

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The Use of Macromorphoscopic Analysis to Examine Nonmetric Skull Variation Within a Gorilla Subspecies: Gorilla gorilla gorilla, Chelsea J. Thompson

Theses from 2021

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The Human—Long-Tailed Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) Interface at Don Chao Poo Forest, Phana, Thailand, Ashton M. Asbury

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Ecological and Anthropogenic Influences on a Sentinel Species' Gut Microbiome, Carson E. Black

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Patterning and Quality of Male-Male Interactions in Hamadryas Baboons (Papio hamadryas), John Calcitrai

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Playing with Relatives: Genetic Kinship and Play Behavior in Juvenile Tibetan Macaques, Riley Derby

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Extirpation Risk of the Endangered Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei) Inside and Outside Biological Corridors, Langthel Sub-district, Trongsa, Central District Bhutan, Kuenzang Dorji

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Evaluating compassion satisfaction and the risk of compassion fatigue among those working at non-human primate sanctuaries and wildlife centers, Madalyn Rantala

Theses from 2020

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The Development of Social Behavior in the Tibetan Macaque (Macaca thibetana), Rose Amrhein

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The Seasonality and Parasite Richness and Prevalence of the Weddelli’s Saddleback Tamarin (Leontocebus Weddelli), Krista Banda

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Examining Environmental Use by Captive Lemur catta and Varecia rubra, Rhiannon Belcher

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Effects of Different Housing Configurations on Captive Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Behavior in Holding Area During Construction, Kailyn Campbell

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Group Differences in Mother-Infant Macaca fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, and Body Condition within an Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall

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Hand Preference for Holding, Tapping, Probing and Digit-Feeding in Captive Adult Aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis), Robert Shaun Mayo

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Chimpanzee Early Life Experiences and Responses to Caregiver Use of Species-Specific Behavior, Emily Patton

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Acoustic Analysis of Nomascus Gibbon Songs as a Potential Measure of Current Health Status, Caroline Rowley

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Mommy Issues: Do Differential Rearing Histories Affect the Social Behavior of Captive Chacma Baboons (Papio ursinus), Madeleine Spencer

Theses from 2019

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Gorilla-Visitor Interface at a Zoo Exhibit: Positioning Effects of Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and Zoo Visitors, Alan Bergman

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Ethnoprimatology of Urban Cebus Yuracus: An evaluation of Human-non-human interactions and local perceptions in Misahualli, Ecuador, Sofia Castro-Loza

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The Effect of Sound on Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Grace Coffman

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Effects of a Voluntourism Experience on Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Environmental Sustainability and Science, Mireille Gonzalez

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How Researchers Address Ethical Concerns Regarding Habituating Nonhuman Primates: Results of a Survey and Suggestions for Future Practice, Victoria M. Green

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The Activity Budgets of Captive Javan Gibbons (Hylobates moloch) and their Response to Visitor Presence or Absence, Kalli Kohnen

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A Novel SNP Genotyping Technique to Determine Orangutan Relatedness and Genetic Diversity at Camp Leakey in Tanjung Puting, Central Kalimantan, Ruth Ella Linsky

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A Cognitive Task as Enrichment for Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Sanctuary, Federico Rubio

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Evaluations of Health in Sympatric Free-Ranging Saguinus imperator and Leontocebus weddelli Using Neopterin, Urinalysis, and Blood Chemistry Analyses, Alexandra J. Sacco

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Effect of Group Size on the Activity Budget of Two Captive Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Kaeley Sullins

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The Challenges for a Closed-to-the-Public Animal Sanctuary: Prioritizing animal welfare while engaging in educational community outreach, Lisa Tweed

Theses from 2018

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Use of a Two-Action Paradigm Apparatus with Captive Lemurs: Insights into Social Learning, Carly Batist

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Sign modulation by chimpanzees to produce interrogatives, Kailie Dombrausky

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Sex differences in glycosylated hemoglobin in Mauritian origin long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), Ricardo A. Fernandes

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Re-Evaluating Captive Chimpanzee “Dominance”: Dominance Hierarchy and Chimpanzee-Caregiver Relationships at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Jake Funkhouser

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Single and Pair Housed Chacma Baboons’ (Papio ursinus) Response to Caregivers’ Use of Species-Specific Behavior, Josefine Holm

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Comparisons of Captive Gibbons’ (Hylobatidae) Intrapair Behaviors Indicative of the Pair Bond, Samantha Jones

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Enrichment Assessment for Geriatric African Old World Monkeys under Human Care, Amanda E. Osborne

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Preparing The Yucatan Black Howler Monkey for Its Return to The Wild: An Assessment of Wildtracks' Approach to Rehabilitation and Reintroduction, Blanca Ponce

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The Impact of Web-Based Visitor Education on Human-Tibetan Macaque (Macaca thibetana) Interactions at Mt. Huangshan, China, KiriLi Stauch

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Response of Three Species of Monkeys to Caregiver Use of Species-Typical Behavior, Lillian Anna Stolar

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Gorilla Life-Stage Comparison of Head Orientation, Lisa Wilding

Theses from 2017

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A comparison of seedling diversity and abundance in the range of howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in Bocas del Toro, Panama, Erin Connelly

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The Social Behavior of Rehabilitated Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), Anthony Denice

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Mother-Infant Interactions in a Free-Ranging Population of Pigtail Macaques (Macaca nemestrina), Emily Dura

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Comparison of Semi-Captive and Wild Gray-Shanked Douc Langurs’ (Pygathrix Cinerea) Activity Budgets, Hilary Hemmes-Kavanaugh

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Mother-Offspring Relationships in Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China, Courtney Martinez

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Captive Chimpanzees' (Pan troglodytes) Night-Time Enrichment Selection and Use, Katherine M. McDonald

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Collective Decision Making in Tibetan Macaques: How Followers Affect the Rules and Efficiency of Group Movement, Amanda Rowe

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Family Dynamics in Eastern Hoolock (Hoolock leuconedys), Javan (Hylobates moloch), Pileated (H. pileatus) and Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys) at the Gibbon Conservation Center, Alexandra Sheldon

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Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Space use in a Sanctuary Setting, Holly Soubiea

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Enrichment Use & Social Interactions in a Mixed-Species Enclosure of Sumatran (Pongo abelij) & Bornean Orangutans (P. pygmaeus) & Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys), Emily Veitia

Theses from 2016

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Reaction to Stimulus Figures in Chimpanzee Drawings, Alexandra Bobrinskoy Casti

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Comparison of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Behavior on Tour and Non-Tour Days at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, Allison A. Farley

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Analysis of FY Promoter and Hepatocystis Load in South African Vervet Monkeys (Chlorocebus Aethiops), Benjamin J. Gombash

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Play in Immature Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana): Location, Use of Play Signals, and Play Bout Termination at Mt. Huangshan, China, Kaitlin R. Wright

Theses from 2015

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Javan Gibbon (Hylobates moloch) Non-Vocal Social Communication and Gesture Use With Conspecifics, Melanie Bell

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A Comparison of Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Responses to Caregiver Use of Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT) and Species-Specific Behaviors (SSB), Whitney D. Emge

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Female Social Connectivity through the Leadership and Movement Progression of Tibetan Macaques at Mt. Huangshan, China, Gregory P. Fratellone

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Sexual Behavior of Immature Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana), Anne Salow, R. Steven Wagner, Mary Radeke, and Joseph Lorenz

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Provisioning and Its Effects on the Social Interactions of Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China, Brianna I. Schnepel

Theses from 2012

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Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Responses to Visitors using Chimpanzee-Friendly Behaviors, Daniella Bismanovsky