Tobias Deschner
Biographic Data
| ID | 83440 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Tobias Deschner |
| GIVEN NAMES | Tobias |
| FAMILY NAME | Deschner |
| SIGNATURE | DESCHNER T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9873-316X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 59 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Inquiring Pant‐Hoots in Wild Chimpanzees and the Role of Social Bonds and Group Cohesion
The evolution of human language remains a puzzle, with comparative approaches focusing on vocalizations, gestures, bimodal combinations, and, most recently, social interaction and turn‐taking. The latter is characterized by cooperative, reciprocal exchanges of alternating short bursts of information among interactants. Some hallmarks of human conversational turn‐taking have been found in other primate species, suggesting a possible specialization…
Christophe Boesch (1951–2024): Primatology Pioneer with a Long-Term Vision for Research and Conservation
International audience
Bonobo mothers have elevated urinary cortisol levels during early but not mid or late lactation
In mammals, the costs of reproduction are biased towards females. Lactation is particularly energetically expensive, and behavioral and physiological data indicate that maternal effort during lactation induces energetic stress. Another source of stress in females is male aggression directed towards them when they are cycling. Evaluating the costs of reproduction in wild and mobile animals can be a challenging task, and requires detailed informati…
Blood testosterone levels in sickness and in health: Male chimpanzee testosterone levels decrease in face of an immune challenge
As an integral part of the immune response, testosterone secretion is inhibited when an individual is confronted with an immune challenge. Testosterone‐mediated physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits are compromised at times of impaired health. Nevertheless, males of some species seem to maintain high levels of testosterone when confronted with an immune challenge, upholding competitive strength but compromising their immune response…
Hunting of mammals by central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Loango National Park, Gabon
The predation and consumption of animals are common behaviours in chimpanzees across tropical Africa. To date, however, relatively little is known concerning the hunting behaviour of central chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes troglodytes ). Here, we provide the first direct observations of hunting behaviour by individuals of the newly habituated Rekambo community in the Loango National Park, Gabon. Over a period of 23 months (May 2017 to March 2019), …
Intercommunity interactions and killings in central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) from Loango National Park, Gabon
Intercommunity competition in chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) has been widely studied in eastern ( P. t. schweinfurthii ) and western ( P. t. verus ) communities. Both subspecies show hostility towards neighboring communities but differ in rates of lethal attacks and female involvement. However, relatively little is known about the territorial behavior of the two other subspecies, central ( P. t. troglodytes ) and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees ( P…
Home range size in central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) from Loango National Park, Gabon
Ranging behavior has been studied extensively in eastern ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) and western ( P. t. verus ) chimpanzees, but relatively little is known regarding home ranges of the other two subspecies ( P. t. ellioti; P. t. troglodytes ). In this study, we determined the home range size and space use of a habituated community (Rekambo) of central chimpanzees living in a habitat mosaic in Loango National Park, Gabon. Data on travel rou…
Quantitative estimates of glacial refugia for chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) since the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP)
Paleoclimate reconstructions have enhanced our understanding of how past climates have shaped present‐day biodiversity. We hypothesize that the geographic extent of Pleistocene forest refugia and suitable habitat fluctuated significantly in time during the late Quaternary for chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ). Using bioclimatic variables representing monthly temperature and precipitation estimates, past human population density data, and an extensi…
Recognizing normal reproductive biology: A comparative analysis of variability in menstrual cycle biomarkers in German and Bolivian women
The idealized "normal" menstrual cycle typically comprises a coordinated ebb and flow of hormones over a 28-day span with ovulation invariably shown at the midpoint. It's a pretty picture-but rare. Systematic studies have debunked the myth that cycles occur regularly about every 28 days. However, assumptions persist regarding the extent and normalcy of variation in other cycle biomarkers. The processes of judging which phenotypic variants are "no…
Patterns of urinary cortisol levels during ontogeny appear population specific rather than species specific in wild chimpanzees and bonobos
Compared with most mammals, postnatal development in great apes is protracted, presenting both an extended period of phenotypic plasticity to environmental conditions and the potential for sustained mother-offspring and/or sibling conflict over resources. Comparisons of cortisol levels during ontogeny can reveal physiological plasticity to species or population specific socioecological factors and in turn how these factors might ameliorate or exa…
A new window onto animal culture: The case of chimpanzee gesturing
Scientific interest in the diversity of gestural signalling dates back to the figure of Charles Darwin. More than a hundred years later, there is a considerable body of work describing human gestural diversity across languages and cultures. However, the question of communicative culture in our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates, is relatively unexplored. Here, we will stir new interest into this topic by (i) briefly summarizing the c…
The Use of Neopterin as a Noninvasive Marker in Monitoring Diseases in Wild Chimpanzees
Male–female interactions in multimale groups of mountain gorillas
Male-female social interactions may vary according to female receptivity, female parity, and male dominance rank. Such variation may be less apparent in species with one-male mating systems than those with multimale mating systems, as within-group male-male competition and female mate choice are absent. Examining variation in male-female interactions in multimale groups in species with a predominantly one-male mating system may help to shed light…
Long‐term group membership and dynamics in a wild western lowland gorilla population ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) inferred using non‐invasive genetics
The social organization of a group‐living animal is defined by a balance between group dynamic events such as group formation, group dissolution, and dispersal events and group stability in membership and over time. Understanding these processes, which are relevant for questions ranging from disease transmission patterns to the evolution of polygyny, requires long‐term monitoring of multiple social units over time. Because all great ape species a…
Human quarantine: Toward reducing infectious pressure on chimpanzees at the Taï Chimpanzee Project, Côte d'Ivoire
Due to their genetic relatedness, great apes are highly susceptible to common human respiratory pathogens. Although most respiratory pathogens, such as human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), rarely cause severe disease in healthy human adults, they are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in wild great apes habituated to humans for research or tourism. To prevent pathogen transmission, most grea…
Nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ): Evidence for flexible sleeping patterns and insights into human evolution
OBJECTIVES: We investigated occurrences and patterns of terrestrial nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modelled the influence of various ecological predictors on nocturnal activity. METHODS: Data were extracted from terrestrial camera-trap footage and ecological surveys from 22 chimpanzee study sites participating in the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee. We described videos demonstrating nocturnal activity,…
The costs of living at the edge: Seasonal stress in wild savanna-dwelling chimpanzees
Social and demographic correlates of male androgen levels in wild white‐faced capuchin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus )
The Challenge Hypothesis, designed originally to explain the patterning of competitive behavior and androgen levels in seasonally breeding birds, predicts that males will increase their androgen levels in order to become more competitive in reproductive contexts. Here we test predictions derived from the Challenge Hypothesis in white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus), a species that has somewhat seasonal reproduction. We analyzed demograph…
Monitoring ovarian cycle activity via progestagens in urine and feces of female mountain gorillas: A comparison of EIA and LC–MS measurements
Understanding the reproductive biology of endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) is essential for optimizing conservation strategies, determining any demographic impact of socioecological changes, and providing information for comparative studies of primates. Non-invasive techniques have been used to assess the reproductive function of many primates and the importance of validating the measurements of hormones metabolites is wid…
Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of dentine serial sections elucidate sex differences in weaning patterns of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
Offspring provisioning is one of the most energetically demanding aspects of reproduction for female mammals. Variation in lactation length and weaning strategies between chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ), our closest living relative, and modern human societies have been reported. When and why these changes occurred is frequently debated. Our study used stable nitrogen isotope data of tooth root dentine from wild Western chimpanzees ( Pan troglodyt…
Age-related changes in Thyroid hormone levels of bonobos and chimpanzees indicate heterochrony in development
Copulation Calls in Female Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Convey Identity but Do Not Accurately Reflect Fertility
A longitudinal study of urinary dipstick parameters in wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) in Côte d'Ivoire
We performed 796 dip‐stick tests on urine from 100 wild West African chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) from 4 habituated groups in the tropical rain forest of Taï National Park, Cote d'Ivoire, to establish reference values for health monitoring. Specific gravity was also measured on 359 urine samples from 62 chimpanzees. The effect of age, sex, group, month, estrus, pregnancy, meat consumption, and acute respiratory disease on pH, leucocytes,…
The relationship between socio‐sexual behavior and salivary cortisol in bonobos: Tests of the tension regulation hypothesis
Bonobos are known for their pacifistic behavior and their large repertoire of behaviors that are thought to serve conflict resolution. One is an unusual form of ventro‐ventral mounting that facilitates genital contacts (GC). Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain its function. In this study we tested predictions of the tension regulation hypothesis using salivary cortisol as a marker for social stress. The results indicate a temporal re…
Can the Patterns of Sexual Swelling Cycles in Female Taï Chimpanzees be Explained by the Cost-of-Sexual-Attraction Hypothesis
The costs of living at the edge: Seasonal stress in wild savanna-dwelling chimpanzees
Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of dentine serial sections elucidate sex differences in weaning patterns of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
Offspring provisioning is one of the most energetically demanding aspects of reproduction for female mammals. Variation in lactation length and weaning strategies between chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ), our closest living relative, and modern human societies have been reported. When and why these changes occurred is frequently debated. Our study used stable nitrogen isotope data of tooth root dentine from wild Western chimpanzees ( Pan troglodyt…
Age-related changes in Thyroid hormone levels of bonobos and chimpanzees indicate heterochrony in development
Nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ): Evidence for flexible sleeping patterns and insights into human evolution
OBJECTIVES: We investigated occurrences and patterns of terrestrial nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modelled the influence of various ecological predictors on nocturnal activity. METHODS: Data were extracted from terrestrial camera-trap footage and ecological surveys from 22 chimpanzee study sites participating in the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee. We described videos demonstrating nocturnal activity,…
Can the Patterns of Sexual Swelling Cycles in Female Taï Chimpanzees be Explained by the Cost-of-Sexual-Attraction Hypothesis
A new window onto animal culture: The case of chimpanzee gesturing
Scientific interest in the diversity of gestural signalling dates back to the figure of Charles Darwin. More than a hundred years later, there is a considerable body of work describing human gestural diversity across languages and cultures. However, the question of communicative culture in our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates, is relatively unexplored. Here, we will stir new interest into this topic by (i) briefly summarizing the c…
Copulation Calls in Female Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Convey Identity but Do Not Accurately Reflect Fertility
Patterns of urinary cortisol levels during ontogeny appear population specific rather than species specific in wild chimpanzees and bonobos
Compared with most mammals, postnatal development in great apes is protracted, presenting both an extended period of phenotypic plasticity to environmental conditions and the potential for sustained mother-offspring and/or sibling conflict over resources. Comparisons of cortisol levels during ontogeny can reveal physiological plasticity to species or population specific socioecological factors and in turn how these factors might ameliorate or exa…
Sexual swellings in female hamadryas baboons after male take-overs: ?Deceptive? swellings as a possible female counter-strategy against infanticide
In many primate species, male intanticide is assumed to pose a serious risk for infants, and therefore female counter-strategies are expected. These counter-strategies may include changes in the females' reproductive behavior and physiology, e.g., mating with multiple males and prolonged receptivity. Since the risk of infanticide is particularly high when a new male enters the group or when a male rises in rank, we studied the changes in female r…
Female sexual swelling size, timing of ovulation, and male behavior in wild West African chimpanzees
Can the Patterns of Sexual Swelling Cycles in Female Taï Chimpanzees be Explained by the Cost-of-Sexual-Attraction Hypothesis
The relationship between socio‐sexual behavior and salivary cortisol in bonobos: Tests of the tension regulation hypothesis
Bonobos are known for their pacifistic behavior and their large repertoire of behaviors that are thought to serve conflict resolution. One is an unusual form of ventro‐ventral mounting that facilitates genital contacts (GC). Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain its function. In this study we tested predictions of the tension regulation hypothesis using salivary cortisol as a marker for social stress. The results indicate a temporal re…
A longitudinal study of urinary dipstick parameters in wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) in Côte d'Ivoire
We performed 796 dip‐stick tests on urine from 100 wild West African chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes verus ) from 4 habituated groups in the tropical rain forest of Taï National Park, Cote d'Ivoire, to establish reference values for health monitoring. Specific gravity was also measured on 359 urine samples from 62 chimpanzees. The effect of age, sex, group, month, estrus, pregnancy, meat consumption, and acute respiratory disease on pH, leucocytes,…
Copulation Calls in Female Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Convey Identity but Do Not Accurately Reflect Fertility
Monitoring ovarian cycle activity via progestagens in urine and feces of female mountain gorillas: A comparison of EIA and LC–MS measurements
Understanding the reproductive biology of endangered mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) is essential for optimizing conservation strategies, determining any demographic impact of socioecological changes, and providing information for comparative studies of primates. Non-invasive techniques have been used to assess the reproductive function of many primates and the importance of validating the measurements of hormones metabolites is wid…
Stable nitrogen isotope analysis of dentine serial sections elucidate sex differences in weaning patterns of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )
Offspring provisioning is one of the most energetically demanding aspects of reproduction for female mammals. Variation in lactation length and weaning strategies between chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ), our closest living relative, and modern human societies have been reported. When and why these changes occurred is frequently debated. Our study used stable nitrogen isotope data of tooth root dentine from wild Western chimpanzees ( Pan troglodyt…
Age-related changes in Thyroid hormone levels of bonobos and chimpanzees indicate heterochrony in development
Social and demographic correlates of male androgen levels in wild white‐faced capuchin monkeys ( Cebus capucinus )
The Challenge Hypothesis, designed originally to explain the patterning of competitive behavior and androgen levels in seasonally breeding birds, predicts that males will increase their androgen levels in order to become more competitive in reproductive contexts. Here we test predictions derived from the Challenge Hypothesis in white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus), a species that has somewhat seasonal reproduction. We analyzed demograph…
The Use of Neopterin as a Noninvasive Marker in Monitoring Diseases in Wild Chimpanzees
Male–female interactions in multimale groups of mountain gorillas
Male-female social interactions may vary according to female receptivity, female parity, and male dominance rank. Such variation may be less apparent in species with one-male mating systems than those with multimale mating systems, as within-group male-male competition and female mate choice are absent. Examining variation in male-female interactions in multimale groups in species with a predominantly one-male mating system may help to shed light…
Long‐term group membership and dynamics in a wild western lowland gorilla population ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) inferred using non‐invasive genetics
The social organization of a group‐living animal is defined by a balance between group dynamic events such as group formation, group dissolution, and dispersal events and group stability in membership and over time. Understanding these processes, which are relevant for questions ranging from disease transmission patterns to the evolution of polygyny, requires long‐term monitoring of multiple social units over time. Because all great ape species a…
Human quarantine: Toward reducing infectious pressure on chimpanzees at the Taï Chimpanzee Project, Côte d'Ivoire
Due to their genetic relatedness, great apes are highly susceptible to common human respiratory pathogens. Although most respiratory pathogens, such as human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) and human metapneumovirus (HMPV), rarely cause severe disease in healthy human adults, they are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality in wild great apes habituated to humans for research or tourism. To prevent pathogen transmission, most grea…
Nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ): Evidence for flexible sleeping patterns and insights into human evolution
OBJECTIVES: We investigated occurrences and patterns of terrestrial nocturnal activity in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modelled the influence of various ecological predictors on nocturnal activity. METHODS: Data were extracted from terrestrial camera-trap footage and ecological surveys from 22 chimpanzee study sites participating in the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee. We described videos demonstrating nocturnal activity,…
The costs of living at the edge: Seasonal stress in wild savanna-dwelling chimpanzees
A new window onto animal culture: The case of chimpanzee gesturing
Scientific interest in the diversity of gestural signalling dates back to the figure of Charles Darwin. More than a hundred years later, there is a considerable body of work describing human gestural diversity across languages and cultures. However, the question of communicative culture in our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primates, is relatively unexplored. Here, we will stir new interest into this topic by (i) briefly summarizing the c…
Patterns of urinary cortisol levels during ontogeny appear population specific rather than species specific in wild chimpanzees and bonobos
Compared with most mammals, postnatal development in great apes is protracted, presenting both an extended period of phenotypic plasticity to environmental conditions and the potential for sustained mother-offspring and/or sibling conflict over resources. Comparisons of cortisol levels during ontogeny can reveal physiological plasticity to species or population specific socioecological factors and in turn how these factors might ameliorate or exa…
Hunting of mammals by central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in the Loango National Park, Gabon
The predation and consumption of animals are common behaviours in chimpanzees across tropical Africa. To date, however, relatively little is known concerning the hunting behaviour of central chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes troglodytes ). Here, we provide the first direct observations of hunting behaviour by individuals of the newly habituated Rekambo community in the Loango National Park, Gabon. Over a period of 23 months (May 2017 to March 2019), …
Intercommunity interactions and killings in central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) from Loango National Park, Gabon
Intercommunity competition in chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) has been widely studied in eastern ( P. t. schweinfurthii ) and western ( P. t. verus ) communities. Both subspecies show hostility towards neighboring communities but differ in rates of lethal attacks and female involvement. However, relatively little is known about the territorial behavior of the two other subspecies, central ( P. t. troglodytes ) and Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees ( P…
Home range size in central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) from Loango National Park, Gabon
Ranging behavior has been studied extensively in eastern ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) and western ( P. t. verus ) chimpanzees, but relatively little is known regarding home ranges of the other two subspecies ( P. t. ellioti; P. t. troglodytes ). In this study, we determined the home range size and space use of a habituated community (Rekambo) of central chimpanzees living in a habitat mosaic in Loango National Park, Gabon. Data on travel rou…
Quantitative estimates of glacial refugia for chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) since the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP)
Paleoclimate reconstructions have enhanced our understanding of how past climates have shaped present‐day biodiversity. We hypothesize that the geographic extent of Pleistocene forest refugia and suitable habitat fluctuated significantly in time during the late Quaternary for chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ). Using bioclimatic variables representing monthly temperature and precipitation estimates, past human population density data, and an extensi…
Recognizing normal reproductive biology: A comparative analysis of variability in menstrual cycle biomarkers in German and Bolivian women
The idealized "normal" menstrual cycle typically comprises a coordinated ebb and flow of hormones over a 28-day span with ovulation invariably shown at the midpoint. It's a pretty picture-but rare. Systematic studies have debunked the myth that cycles occur regularly about every 28 days. However, assumptions persist regarding the extent and normalcy of variation in other cycle biomarkers. The processes of judging which phenotypic variants are "no…
Blood testosterone levels in sickness and in health: Male chimpanzee testosterone levels decrease in face of an immune challenge
As an integral part of the immune response, testosterone secretion is inhibited when an individual is confronted with an immune challenge. Testosterone‐mediated physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits are compromised at times of impaired health. Nevertheless, males of some species seem to maintain high levels of testosterone when confronted with an immune challenge, upholding competitive strength but compromising their immune response…
Bonobo mothers have elevated urinary cortisol levels during early but not mid or late lactation
In mammals, the costs of reproduction are biased towards females. Lactation is particularly energetically expensive, and behavioral and physiological data indicate that maternal effort during lactation induces energetic stress. Another source of stress in females is male aggression directed towards them when they are cycling. Evaluating the costs of reproduction in wild and mobile animals can be a challenging task, and requires detailed informati…
Biology (25 works) · Primate Behavior and Ecology (24 works) · Zoology (13 works) · Ecology (12 works) · Troglodytes (11 works) · Demography (10 works) · Animal Behavior and Reproduction (9 works) · Ecology (9 works) · Medicine (9 works) · Animal ecology (8 works)