The English primatologist Claudia Sousa, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, died of cancer on Monday at age 39. The researcher was devoted mainly to the study of chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea-Conakry, where he was repeatedly expeditions. The body is at burning chamber at the Mother Church of Figueira da Foz and the funeral will be on Tuesday from 15:30, heading for the cemetery Buarcos.
Claudia Sousa received his doctorate in 2003 in Kyoto University, under the guidance of Tetsuro Matsuzawa, a world authority on primatology. His doctoral thesis dealt with the cognitive ability of chimpanzees accumulate capital or, in other words, to make a piggy bank. For in such experiments at the Institute of Primate Research at Kyoto University, the researcher gave the chimpanzees tokens (objects that have symbolic value) to ask for fruit in return – and that they kept and only exchanged for food when they wanted.
In his doctoral thesis Claudia Sousa showed that the system of tokens was a new methodology for assessing the cognitive abilities of chimpanzees. In particular, he noted “the emergence of a single behavior – ‘save,’” reads the summary of the thesis. Ie, understand and are aware of the symbolic value of certain objects.
In Portugal, there is only primatólogas and do not meet the fingers of one hand. Besides investigating the behavior and cognitive abilities of chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates, Claudia Sousa also had among their concerns the conservation of these primates in their natural habitat and their interaction with human populations.
But the primatologist also exchanged many times the lab and classrooms – was a professor in the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the New University of Lisbon (FCSH) since 2001 – for fieldwork. Been several times in Guinea-Bissau to survey the distribution of chimpanzees in the territory, identifying its presence mainly through vestiges as nests, feces and hair, and making surveys of human populations to understand why they were hunted (concluindo- if it was not for eating, but for sale as pets and with this money, buy up objects).
When she and Catherine Casanova, another Portuguese primatologist who accompanied her in 2006, fourth visit to Guinea-Bissau, gave first guys with chimpanzees in their natural habitat, Claudia Sousa well described in the meeting: “We had lots of baby chimpanzees seen in people’s homes, but in the forest, the natural habitat, never had seen. We were thrilled. “
It was also to Guinea several times, specifically to the primate research station in the village of Bossou, directed by Tetsuro Matsuzawa. Here, Claudia Sousa recorded, for example, the vocalizations of chimpanzees to studies which try to communicate. “We know that other individuals identified by the tone of voice, like us,” he once told us primatologist, adding that he also continued to collect data on the sponges that chimpanzees build with leaves for drinking water – “and to see the transmission of this knowledge across generations. “
Between 2007 and 2011, Claudia Sousa was president of the Portuguese Association of Primatology. And before, between 2003 – when the idea of the association was born during the First International Conference of Primatology in Portugal – and 2007 was its vice president
“I had the privilege of it being my student. 20 years ago, colleague and friend. It was a fantastic woman and researcher, leaving school and followers – students who will continue her work, “says anthropologist Eugenia Cunha, University of Coimbra, where Claudia Sousa did a degree and a Masters
. “The teacher Claudia Sousa leaves us an important testimony of the love and enthusiasm for science research. Even very weakened by illness, never stopped working with an infectious enthusiasm and always new projects, “said John Costa in turn, FCSH director, in a statement. “Scientific production has always been remarkable, and this year the winner of the Santander Award for Internationalization of Scientific Production, which will be awarded posthumously the Feast of FCSH.”
No comments:
Post a Comment