Hunter Primate Molecular Ecology Laboratory - PMEL

The RRLP took a team building trip to the coast! Thanks to Zo for the excellent suggestion!

See PMEL member Carly Batist's latest work on Varecia acoustic monitoring using machine learning and passive acoustic monitoring!

An integrated passive acoustic monitoring and deep learning pipeline for black‐and‐white ruffed lemurs (Varecia variegata) in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar American Journal of Primatology is a broad-scope primates journal publishing studies from all areas of the field, from behavioral ecology to molecular genetics.

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium goes to Madagascar!

Join Dr. Randy Junge on his recent expedition where he continues an impactful journey in lemur conservation and explores the unique challenges and triumphs in preserving these incredible creatures. If you're a fan of the Columbus Zoo, this blog is a must-read! Dive into the world of lemurs and connect with the ongoing efforts at https://www.columbuszoo.org/tales-lemur-conservation-columbus-zoo-goes-madagascar

Wishing our friends in Madagascar a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Sunday is rest day in the forest! A day for the team to catch up on laundry, call family, and generally just hang on out!

Did you know members of PMEL also work with a local STEM magnet program in Stamford, CT? Here, student intern, teaches 2nd grade students at about seed dispersal before taking them out into the schoolyard habitat for a seed scavenger hunt!

Three roar-shrieks for the newly minted DR. .batist on a flawless doctoral thesis defense!

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that the Columbus Zoo has chosen us as one of their five flagship conservation programs! See their video announcement here:

2023 Conservation Announcement The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds have announced a significant milestone in the organization’s transformative journey from being two of the nation’...

Congrats on winning Best Student Podium Presentation at this year’s meeting of the Northeastern Evolutionary Primatology group (NEEP) at VCU! And congrats to & on excellent poster presentations!

Hot off the press! Check out PMEL member & team's latest work validating urinary C‐peptide (uCP) of insulin and urinary totaltriiodothyronine (uTT3) as noninvasive biomarkers of energy balance and metabolic activity in ruffed lemurs! Full text can be found here (https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23563) and on the Hunter PMEL website!

Urinary C‐peptide and total triiodothyronine as energetic biomarkers for studies of lemurs American Journal of Primatology is a broad-scope primates journal publishing studies from all areas of the field, from behavioral ecology to molecular genetics.

Introducing RRLP team members who have been providing daily updates on the 2023 ruffed lemur birth season: Lanto (behavior), Charline (feeding/nutrition), and Leroa (tracking)!

Master opportunity for those interested in disease ecology, one health...

Update from the field: Team II appears to have observed female RadYT’s water break and subsequent birth! “Team II follow RadYT, we think she has babies today. She go into her nest begin 9:55a.m and don't leave it until 4p.m. And we think today is her accouchement (birth) because at 10:30 we saw fluid viscous from her nest, but this time we thought it p*e, but at 11 a.m, we saw its again and its during 10minutes, and we saw its in the ground like this picture, and after she didn't move. But before its she move in her nest. And the afternoon, sometimes, we saw her like do groom, but we don't know much because we saw just little her. And at 3:55p.m we hear a little her babies, but we don't see…before she enter in her nest she eat many Flower of Natojabo and in the way she walk for her nest, she p*es in 3 times successive like woman near the accouchement…”

What kind of lemur nest spotter are YOU?! Can you find the Varecia nests in the following photos? Disclaimer: Even WE have a hard time distinguishing nests from branches, which is why we only confidently consider “nests” those we have actively witnessed ruffed lemurs building!! Give it a shot and let us know how you did in the comments!!

Team members Lahitsara Jean Pierre (foreground) and Velomaro (back) are working hard to collect data on ruffed lemur infant care! Together with our Project Manager, Rasoanarimalala Charline, they are marking and mapping nests as they observe females building & using them to monitor their numbers, characteristics, frequency of use! Stay tuned for photos of what they’ve found!!

October means World Lemur Festival time! Will you be celebrating? Learn all about this year's festivities in this newsletter. https://mailchi.mp/8cdc25c6ffd6/double-your-impact-for-lemurs-for-giving-tuesday-6144480

Computers in the forest?! This is our Mangevo weather station — it allows us to collect precise measures of humidity, temperature, rainfall, and barometric pressure at the site! Compared to the daily measures we used to collect, this Hobo weather station allows us to automatically collect hourly metrics that we will use to monitor weather and broad-scale patterns of climate change at our site!

Update from Mangevo: WE HAVE BABIES!! Radio-Silver-Yellow spent all day in her nest today, only leaving very briefly to feed. This is typical behavior of new moms, who spend the majority of their time caring for altricial (helpless) offspring!! Teams have now shifted into BIRTH SEASON MODE! They will follow new potential moms every day to check for babies and record infant care behavior at the nest!

I think we’re ready! Now taking bets on how many porters this pile will require!!

JFK>CDG>TNR in business class?! Yes please!

Countdown to in T-minus 12…11…10…

Last evening in Tana

Data entry technician?

Introducing Menja, my CVB tech (along with Raleso) during my first ever independent research project as a grad student surveying nocturnal lemurs in Vohiparara back in 2004! She is now a mosquito expert and has also assisted in conservation education projects throughout southeastern Madagascar. Friends for nearly 20 years!!

Hunter PMEL on Instagram: "The greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) relies heavily on the pith of these large bamboo species. As this video illustrates, bamboo lemurs will come to the ground to break apart & eat the newly emerging bamboo spears.... 4 Likes, 0 Comments - Hunter PMEL () on Instagram: "The greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) relies heavily on the pith of these large bamboo specie..."

Introducing the 2023 Ranomafana Ruffed Lemur team!

View from my hotel room door

Did you know that ruffed lemurs balance their NPE:AP at a ratio higher than in any other primate studied to date? A recent paper by PMEL’s describes this & other important nutritional outcomes of seasonality! 🍎 🍃 🍊

Learn more here: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23484