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MSc. Elenora Neugebauer

Position: PhD student 

E-mail: elenora.neugebauer@[>>> Please remove the text! <<<]uni-leipzig.de

Research Group Primate Behavioural Ecology 
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology 
Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution
Deutscher Platz 6 
D-04103 Leipzig 
Germany

and

University of Leipzig Faculty of Life Science 
Institute of Biology
Behavioral Ecology Research Group 
Talstrasse 33 
D-04103 Leipzig 
Germany

Research interest

Crested macaques are one of seven macaque species endemic to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. They are also most endangered and have recently been included in the catalogue of “The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates”. Loss of natural habitat and illegal hunting are the main threats for the survival of this species and have led to massive population declines in recent decades. Comprehensive genetic analyses of the remaining, potentially isolated populations are vital to assess the impact of increasing anthropogenic pressures on their genetic structure as well as the species’ risk of inbreeding depression. The exceptional case of a macaque population that has been introduced to the nearby island Bacan, outside the native range, about 150 years ago may provide the opportunity to reintroduce animals to the mainland, thereby increasing variability of genetically depleted populations. The aim of my project is to collect non-invasive samples of crested macaques across the province of North Sulawesi as well as on Bacan Island. By genetically characterizing crested macaques across their range it will be possible to draw direct conclusions about the specific conservation needs of this species.

Research funded by

Curriculum Vitae

Education

Since 10/2019PhD student at the University of Leipzig in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig (MPI EVA) 
Dissertation title: “Human impact on biodiversity: analyzing the genetic diversity of the critically endangered crested macaques (Macaca nigra) of Sulawesi, Indonesia
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Anja Widdig (University of Leipzig)
04/2015 – 03/2018Master of Science in Biology (with a focus on Ecology and Evolution), Dissertation title: “Evaluating conservation efforts to inform future management decisions for West African chimpanzees
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Brüggemann (Goethe University Frankfurt), Dr. Hjalmar Kühl (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig) & Prof. Dr. Friedemann Schrenk (Goethe University Frankfurt) 
10/2010 – 03/2015Bachelor of Science
Dissertation title: “Raiding composition and position fidelity in Megaponera analis” 
Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Linsenmair (Julius- Maximilian University Würzburg)

Work experience

06/2018 – 09/2018Field research assistant 
Investigating problem solving abilities in long-tailed macaques for the McCowan Lab (University California Davis, USA) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
03/2016 – 09/2016Field research assistant 
Recording object manipulation in long-tailed macaques for Prof. Leca (University Lethbridge, Canada) in Bali, Indonesia. 
12/2013 - 03/2014Internship 
Studying the role of canines for the rank of males in crested macaques at the German Primate Centre in Göttingen, Germany.
09/2012 - 11/2012Field assistant
Investigating the role of mammals in the seed dispersal of rattan in the “Macaca Nemestrina Project” in Malaysia.
10/2011 - 12/2011Research assistant 
Identifying pollinators in coffee plantations in the DFG Research Group Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Grants Awarded

10/2019Project funding of the Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations (5.000€)
08/2019One-year scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (23.924€)
07/2019Christian-Vogel-Fond for Field Research (800€)
12/2017Science Policy Shadowing Fund of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (1.821€)
09/2012PROMOS scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (450€)