"The Myakka City Lemur Reserve is an example of the finest in
educational facilities. Anthropologists traditionally "go into
the field" as part of our educational and career path...The MCLR
is the only site in the U.S. that supports an affordable,
genuine field experience for undergraduates."
Dr. Linda Taylor, Professor of
Physical Anthropology, University of Miami
Providing a natural forest environment for our lemur colony
where students can learn field methods under the guidance of
highly respected leaders in their field is a vital piece of the
Lemur Conservation Foundation's educational and conservation
mission. The carefully maintained habitat composed of oak,
pine and other flora native to southwest Florida provides a
unique opportunity for participants to observe the animals in a
free-ranging environment approximating their native habitat in
Primatology Field Methods
Undergraduate/Graduate. Four credit quarter-system course open
to anyone meeting prerequisites. Taught by Dr. Natalie Vasey of
Portland State University.
interested party meeting the prerequisite of having
successfully completed a university-level biology course or a
course in biological anthropology may apply to the Primatology
Field Methods Program. The course may be taken for college
credit either through the student's home institution or through
Portland State University. Enrollment is limited to 10 students
and includes an intensive week-long session in a natural habitat
reserve, the Lemur Conservation Foundation’s Myakka City Lemur
Reserve in Florida.
This course will introduce students to methods used for
collecting behavioral and ecological data on free-ranging
primates through a combination of lectures and field exercises.
These will include development of ethograms, sampling methods,
recording rules, mapping sites and animal movements, and
estimating resource availability. By the end of this course
students will be able to assess whether their interests lie in
gaining further advanced training in primatology, such as
graduate training or a field or lab assistantship with a senior
For complete information on the
course, dates, deadlines, application materials, click here.
University of Miami -
Field Studies in Anthropology- Behavioral Ecology of Free
Ranging Lemurs in South Florida
Undergraduate/Graduate. Three credit course offered to students enrolled at the University of
Miami meeting prerequisites. Taught by Dr. Linda Taylor.
Endangered lemurs live in a naturalistic habitat in Manatee
County, Florida. Here, they travel through the forest, choosing
what to eat, where to travel, and with whom to associate - much
as they would in Madagascar, their native habitat. During this
course students will become part of the team of primatologists
that study this population, in an on-going multidisciplinary
research project. Preparation of data
for professional presentation and publication is stressed.
for more information