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Luke Mangaliso Duncan

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Warwick

Since an early age I have always had a fascination for nature and animals. Following an undergraduate degree in zoology and ecology, I completed my PhD focusing on the influences of the captive environment on the behaviour and welfare of chimpanzees at the Johannesburg Zoo. I have subsequently conducted worked on other species, including Damaraland mole rats, chacma baboons, vervet monkeys, samango monkeys and leopards and have also conducted research into human behaviour and psychology. My areas of interest are animal behaviour and human and animal psychology, with a particular interest in primate cognition and space use. I have worked in a wide range of contexts, ranging from animal welfare in South Africa to managing research field sites. Additionally, I have been involved in student supervision and lecturing for various institutions.

Experience

  • 2024–present
    Research Fellow, Warwick University
  • 2019–2024
    Academic and field research manager, Primate and Predator Project
  • 2018–2019
    Associate lecturer, University of South Africa
  • 2019–2019
    Laboratory manager, Kalahari Meerkat Project
  • 2018–2018
    Associate lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand

Education

  • 2012 
    University of the Witwatersrand, PhD
  • 2007 
    University of the Witwatersrand, BSc Hons
  • 2006 
    University of the Witwatersrand, BSc

Publications

  • 2022
    Long-term spatial restriction generates deferred limited space use in a zoo-housed chimpanzee group, Animals
  • 2013
    Shade as a thermoregulatory resource for captive chimpanzees, Journal of Thermal Biology
  • 2013
    Chimpanzees use multiple strategies to limit aggression and stress during spatial density changes, Applied Animal Behaviour Science
  • 2012
    Volunteer experience influences the conclusions of behavioural experiments, Applied Animal Behaviour Science