Georgia Allen

Chimpanzees ‘self-medicate’ with healing plants Wild chimpanzees seek out medicinal plants to eat when they are sick or injured, a study says.

Surreal to have a piece in BBC News about our research!

Chimpanzees ‘self-medicate’ with healing plants bbc.in/3RD3TvD

Orangutan playtime looks different in the wild compared to in the zoo🛝🦧

New study by Isabelle Laumer, Caroline Schuppli and team shows that zoo-housed orangutans explore more objects in more varied ways ⬇️

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Happy to share our new paper 'Wild chimpanzees share fermented fruits' @currentbiology.bsky.social

Thank you to the amazing team. @kjhockings.bsky.social @joanahbessa.bsky.social , @xavh.bsky.social, Marina Ramon, Elena Bersacola, Matthew Carrigan, @amelinlab.bsky.social . @uniexecec.bsky.social

The first events from my new job at buglife are coming up soon!
If you are Cornwall-based and would like to learn how to ID pollinators and plants, then please sign up here to our free workshops (with free lunch!):

Pollinators: trybooking.com/uk/ESPH
Plants: trybooking.com/uk/ESPI

Hope to see you!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my poster, and to the SCCS Cambridge organisers for creating such an inspiring space for early-career conservationists.

#ConservationScience #SCCSCambridge #PrimateConservation #Orangutan #ScienceCommunication #Networking #WildlifeResearch

Looking Ahead:I’m excited to explore primate research and the intersection of animal behaviour and conservation. I’m always open to discussions, collaborations, and new opportunities. If you’re working on similar research, know of opportunities, or want to chat about primate conservation, reach out!

…inform conservation strategies by identifying essential plant species that support orangutan health, highlighting the need to maintain diverse, intact ecosystems that preserve not only habitat but also the ecological and medicinal resources crucial for great ape survival.

How My Research Fits into the Bigger Picture:

Investigating how orangutans combine resources for potential self-medication provides key insights into their cognitive abilities and behavioural flexibility. Understanding these complex interactions can…

Key Takeaways: The conference was an incredible opportunity to learn from researchers tackling diverse conservation challenges, from music and cultural influences on conservation to satellite tracking of whale strandings, and community-driven initiatives.

It was a fantastic opportunity to discuss my research with so many passionate conservationists, exchange ideas, and hear about the incredible work being done in the field. Presenting my research reinforced my motivation by connecting with others equally passionate about conservation science.

I had an amazing time presenting my poster, “Orangutan Self-Medicative Behaviour: Feeding Ecology and Resource Combinations,” at the Student Conference on Conservation Science (SCCS) Cambridge 2025!

#ConservationScience #SCCSCambridge #PrimateConservation #Orangutan #ScienceCommunication

A mother orangutan sitting on the ground. By its side, a young orangutan is holding on to its upper body. They’re surrounded by vibrant green vegetation.

The relationship between orangutan mother and child is particularly strong! For the first two years, the young completely relies on its mother to survive.

The mother teaches its offspring how to forage for food and build a nest, and stay with their young for up to seven years!

Big thanks to Sparsholt University Centre for the invitation and to the students for their thoughtful questions!

#WildlifeConservation #PrimateResearch #GuestLecture #Orangutans

I had the opportunity to discuss how Bornean orangutans may strategically combine plant resources for health benefits, shedding light on the links between animal behaviour, ecology, and conservation. It was a great experience sharing insights from my MSc research at @uniexecec.bsky.social

Excited to have been invited as a guest lecturer at Sparsholt University Centre to share my research on orangutan self-medication with their BSc students!

How DNA extracted from forest air could help protect one of West Africa's rarest animals

Exciting to be able to share our ongoing work using novel eDNA techniques to detect the western chimpanzee in Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼
@derbyuni.bsky.social @arcusfoundation.bsky.social @joanachimpa.bsky.social

www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts...

Monkey mapping model could boost conservation A monkey mapping study could boost conservation of animal species that share their habitats with humans.  With an estimated 75% of Earth’s land surface already altered by humans, many animals must liv...

A monkey mapping study led by doctoral researcher @andyhouldcroft.bsky.social could boost conservation of animal species that share their habitats with humans. @uniexecec.bsky.social

Full paper: nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Press release: news.exeter.ac.uk/faculty-of-e...

Amazing research on hoverfly migration revealing fascinating insights into these incredible long-distance travellers! Definitely take the time to read!

My thesis focused on novel orangutan self-medicative behaviour in peat-swamp forests, revealing insights into their foraging strategies and well-being. I’m so grateful for the support from my supervisor, mentors, Borneo Nature Foundation, and Re:wild throughout my research journey.

I’m so proud to share I’ve graduated with a Distinction in MSc Conservation and Biodiversity from the @uniofexeter.bsky.social The University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation!

Elephant seals 🦭 have a lot of blood with a lot of red blood cells (RBC)🩸 with lots of haemoglobin to store lots of oxygen. That way they can dive for 20 min (max > 2 hr!). That whitish layer between plasma and RBC are white blood cells and platelets #AnilloSEALS #PinnipedFacts 🧪#MarMam

Final paper of the orangutan gesture saga published this week! 🦧👋Wild-captive contrasts in non-voc communicative repertoires seem to be mainly driven by additional interaction partners, not by diffs in interaction outcomes or environmental affordances. t.ly/pBwmD

and tracking the beautiful wild dogs with Dedan Ngatia and learning about human-wildlife conflict, coexistence & One Health at Mpala, Kenya! @kjhockings.bsky.social

#ExeterCEC #ExeterGSES