Michelle Klailova

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow (present):
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT); Universidade Técnica de Lisboa,
Anthropology, ISCSP/CAPP & University of Stirling, School of Natural Sciences, Psychology
Using Camera Traps to study wild non-human great ape behaviour and conservation
Supervisors: Professors Catarina Casanova & Phyllis Lee

PhD (2011):
University of Stirling, School of Natural Sciences, Psychology
Interunit, environmental and interspecific influences on silverback-group dynamics in western lowland gorillas
Supervisors: Professors Phyllis Lee & Hannah Buchanan-Smith

Bachelor of Education (2002): University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Bachelor of Science – Fish & Wildlife Management (2000): Montana State University, Bozeman

Affiliations
Behaviour & Evolution Research Group (BERG )
Scottish Primate Research Group (SPRG )
Primate Society of Great Britain (PSGB )
International Primatological Society (IPS )
Section of Great Apes, Primate Specialist Group (IUCN )
Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas (ISCSP )
Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas (CAPP )

Research Interests
•   Great Ape Behaviour and Ecology
•   Social Networks
•   Wild Western Lowland Gorilla Behavioural Responses to Risk
•   Captive Western Lowland Gorilla Behavioural Responses to Visitor Influences
•   Forest Leopards and African Golden Cat Censusing in Central Africa
•   Predator-Prey Relationships and Interspecific Competition
•   Development of Novel Protocols for Assessing Ape Abundance and Occupancy

Current Research
Using Camera Traps to Study Wild Non-Human Great Ape Behaviour and Conservation
Main Aim
To test and continue developing techniques for assessing African ape behaviour and population trends via camera trapping
Objectives
Use camera traps to study African ape:
(a) abundance and occupancy
(b) non-human predator-prey interactions
(c) tool use, nesting, culture and ecology
Field Sites and Funding 
Bai Hokou & Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas Complex (DSPA), Central African Republic (CAR)
Boé Sector, Lagoas de Cufada Natural Park, & Cantanhez Woodland Natural Park, Guinea-Bissau.
Funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) postdoctoral grant & WWF-Carpo via Angelique Todd, Technical Advisor to the Bai Hokou (BH) Primate Habituation Camp. 

Felids in co-existence: assessing population density and interspecific competition in sympatric African forest felids
Main Aim
To assess forest leopard and African golden cat density and interspecific competition via camera trapping
Objectives
Use camera traps to:
(a) develop methods for parallel non-invasive trapping of sympatric felids in African rainforests
(b) assess interspecific competition using species co-occurrence occupancy modelling
(c) assess how interspecific competition has changed over time
Field Site and Funding
DSPA, CAR
Fieldwork funded by Panthera, the Panton Trust, and WWF-Carpo via Angelique Todd

PhD Research
Interunit, environmental and interspecific influences on silverback-group dynamics in western lowland gorillas
Main Aim
To provide the first all inclusive (nest-to-nest) behavioural study of silverback-group dynamics for western lowland gorillas, focusing on silverback protective functions in situations of high risk
Objectives
(a) define silverback protective and social functions towards his group 
(b) assess the influence of tourists and researchers on silverback-group behaviours 
(c) explore silverback strategies used to protect his group during interunit encounters  
(d) assess the role of  silverback scent as chemosignals
Field Site and Funding
Bai Hokou, DSPA, CAR
Fieldwork funded by the University of Stirling, Department of Psychology, and the Toronto Zoo

If interested in becoming a volunteer research assistant at the Bai Hokou Primate Habituation Project, please contact Angelique Todd, Technical Advisor of the site at baihokou@uuplus.net . More information can also be found at www.dzanga-sangha.org .

Other Research & Fieldwork
Assessing the influences of visitor noise & numbers on silverback-group dynamics in captivity at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park 
Using SOCPROG  to study gorilla social networks (in collaboration with Dr. David Lusseau, University of  Aberdeen)
Former research assistant and co-site manager at the Animal Behavioural Research Unit (ABRU) in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania. Please contact Guy Norton at ABRU if you are interested in becoming a research assistant.

As a PhD student I taught various undergraduate psychology modules, principally animal behaviour tutorials and developmental psychology research groups.

PUBLICATIONS
Klailova M, Casanova C, Henschel P, Lee P, Rovero F, Todd A. (under review). Non-human predator interactions with wild great apes in Africa: a review focusing on large felid predation and a discussion of novel methods for assessing predator-prey relationships.    Folia Primatologica: Primate-Predator Special Edition.

Klailova M. 2011. Intergroup, environmental and interspecific influences on silverback-group dynamics in western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). PhD Thesis.  University of Stirling, United Kingdom.

Byrne RW, Hobaiter C, Klailova M. 2011. Local traditions in gorilla manual skill: evidence for observational learning of behavioural organization. Animal Cognition 14: 683-93.

Klailova M, Hodgkinson C, Lee PC. 2010. Behavioral responses of one western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) group at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic, to tourists, researchers and trackers.  American Journal of Primatology 72:897-906.

Klailova M, Hodgkinson C, Lee PC. 2010. Human impact on western lowland gorilla behaviour. Gorilla Journal 40:22-24.

IN PREP
Klailova M, Lee PC. (in prep).  Wild western lowland gorilla silverback chemosignalling.

Klailova M. (in prep) Western lowland gorilla tourism; implementing guidelines and safe practices. In: Muehlenbein  M, editor.  Book title to be decided.

Klailova M, van der Weyde L, Wearn O, Todd A, Lee P. (in prep). Risk and environmental influences on the social responses of one habituated western lowland gorilla group during interunit interactions at Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic.

Klailova M, Lee PC. (in prep).  Western lowland gorilla silverback behavioural adaptations to situations of risk.

Klailova M, Lee PC. (in prep).  Wild western lowland gorilla silverback proximity patterns.

PRESENTATIONS
Klailova M, Lee PC, Buchanan-Smith H, Casanova C. 2012.  Intergroup, environmental and interspecific influences on silverback-group dynamics in western lowland gorilla: thesis review and future directions. Scottish Primate Research Group, Scotland.

Klailova M, Lee PC. 2011. Smelly boys – wild western lowland gorilla chemosignalling.  Behaviour & Evolution Research Group, University of Stirling, Scotland.

Byrne RW, Hobaiter C, Klailova M. 2010. Gorilla manual skill: evidence for observational learning of behavioural organization. [Abstract] IPS XXIII Congress Kyoto: 172.

Klailova M, Hodgkinson C, Lee PC. 2010. Behavioural responses of one western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) group at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic, to tourists, researchers and trackers, Scottish Primate  Research Group, Scotland.

Klailova M, Todd A, Van der Weyde L, Wearn O, Lee P. 2008. Social roles of the Makumba  group silverback during inter-group interactions at Bai Hokou, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic [Abstract] Primate Eye 96 [Sp CD-ROM – IPS XXII, Scotland]: 271.

Klailova M, Lee PC. 2007. Interactions chez les gorilles mâles du western lowland (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), WWF, Bayanga, Central African Republic.

Klailova M, Lee PC. 2006. Man-ly gorillas and their harems, Department of Marine Biology,  Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.