OSHER 516 - Primates: Our Closet Living Relatives

This course will offer a survey of the diversity of nonhuman primates. The biology and behavior of major primate groups, including lemurs, lorises, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes will be explored. Several biological theories, e.g. evolutionary theory of natural selection, socioecological theory, and life history theory will be investigated as explanations for primate adaptations to specific social and physical environments. Humans are primates. Gaining an understanding of nonhuman primates, our closest living relatives, can lead to a better understanding of ourselves.