Barbara Fruth
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View article: Corrigendum to “Long-term research presence mitigates hunting pressure and shapes mammal communities in the Congo Basin” [Biol. Conserv. 312 (2025) 111502]
Corrigendum to “Long-term research presence mitigates hunting pressure and shapes mammal communities in the Congo Basin” [Biol. Conserv. 312 (2025) 111502] Open
View article: Coalitionary intra-group aggression by wild female bonobos
Coalitionary intra-group aggression by wild female bonobos Open
In humans and non-human primates, male aggression and physical violence are common strategies in the struggle over power and are efficient in exerting control over individuals and groups. In contrast, our close relative, the bonobo (Pan pa…
View article: Patterns of wild meat and other protein consumption in the periphery of Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Patterns of wild meat and other protein consumption in the periphery of Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo Open
In Central Africa, human activities are severely impacting terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, threatening the food security of millions of people. Accordingly, sustainable use of wildlife is crucial for the nutrition and livelihoods of many…
View article: A comprehensive atlas of the bonobo gut bacteriome and its associated host and exposome factors
A comprehensive atlas of the bonobo gut bacteriome and its associated host and exposome factors Open
In great apes, the gut bacteriome shapes key physiological functions and is influenced by both the exposome and the host. Yet, isolating these independent contributions remains challenging. We sequenced 644 fecal samples from 212 wild and …
View article: Drivers of female power in bonobos
Drivers of female power in bonobos Open
View article: Spatial Ecology and Home Range Drivers of the Weyns's Duiker (<i>Cephalophus weynsi</i>) in Rainforest Habitat
Spatial Ecology and Home Range Drivers of the Weyns's Duiker (<i>Cephalophus weynsi</i>) in Rainforest Habitat Open
In Central Africa's tropical forests, duikers ( Cephalophus spp.) are essential seed dispersers and prey for apex predators and humans. However, little is known about their spatial ecology, with no studies available for medium‐sized specie…
View article: Self-Medication in Humans ( <i>Homo sapiens</i> ) and Bonobos ( <i>Pan paniscus</i> ) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Self-Medication in Humans ( <i>Homo sapiens</i> ) and Bonobos ( <i>Pan paniscus</i> ) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Open
In this article I engage with the complex interplay of primates, plants and parasites. We learn about the ethnobotanical records of an indigenous population and their medicinal plants, and get a glimpse into the interplay of man and ape in…
View article: Wild bonobos experience unusually low bone resorption during early lactation relative to humans and other mammals
Wild bonobos experience unusually low bone resorption during early lactation relative to humans and other mammals Open
In mammals, pregnancy and lactation are marked by maternal calcium stress and bone resorption, leading to reduced bone mineral density. In humans, these periods may partly explain the higher prevalence of osteoporosis in older women compar…
View article: Presence of Long-Term Research Mitigates Hunting Pressure and Shapes Mammal Communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Presence of Long-Term Research Mitigates Hunting Pressure and Shapes Mammal Communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Open
View article: Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade
Strontium isoscape of sub-Saharan Africa allows tracing origins of victims of the transatlantic slave trade Open
View article: Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Density and Distribution in Central Africa's Largest Rainforest Reserve: Long-term Survey Data Show Pitfalls in Methodological Approaches and Call for Vigilance
Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Density and Distribution in Central Africa's Largest Rainforest Reserve: Long-term Survey Data Show Pitfalls in Methodological Approaches and Call for Vigilance Open
Conservation measures require accurate estimates of density and abundance and population trend assessments. The bonobo ( Pan paniscus ) is considered Endangered in the IUCN Red List. This classification assumes that available population da…
View article: Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment
Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment Open
Conservation funding is currently limited; cost‐effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrin…
View article: Introducing a unique animal <scp>ID</scp> and digital life history museum for wildlife metadata
Introducing a unique animal <span>ID</span> and digital life history museum for wildlife metadata Open
Over the past five decades, a large number of wild animals have been individually identified by various observation systems and/or temporary tracking methods, providing unparalleled insights into their lives over both time and space. Howev…
View article: The sociality of sleep in animal groups
The sociality of sleep in animal groups Open
View article: Water scooping: tool use by a wild bonobo (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale, a case report
Water scooping: tool use by a wild bonobo (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale, a case report Open
Tool use diversity is often considered to differentiate our two closest living relatives: the chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) and the bonobo ( P. paniscus ). Chimpanzees appear to have the largest repertoire of tools amongst nonhuman primat…
View article: Modulation of cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy in wild bonobos
Modulation of cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy in wild bonobos Open
During pregnancy, the mammalian immune system must simultaneously protect against pathogens while being accommodating to the foreign fetal tissues. Our current understanding of this immune modulation derives predominantly from industrializ…
View article: Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment
Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment Open
Conservation funding is currently limited; cost‐effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrin…
View article: Average phenotype but not plasticity in two metabolic hormones covary in wild female bonobos (Pan paniscus)
Average phenotype but not plasticity in two metabolic hormones covary in wild female bonobos (Pan paniscus) Open
Each individual is equipped with a distinct genetic disposition and ontogenetic history and experiences environmental conditions in a unique way. As a result, individuals vary in terms of phenotypic differences regarding their responses to…
View article: Evolutionary Insight into the Association between New Jersey Polyomavirus and Humans
Evolutionary Insight into the Association between New Jersey Polyomavirus and Humans Open
Advances in viral discovery techniques have led to the identification of numerous novel viruses in human samples. However, the low prevalence of certain viruses in humans raises doubts about their association with our species. To ascertain…
View article: Golden‐bellied mangabeys (<i>Cercocebus chrysogaster</i>) exhibit a larger home range and longer travel distances than those of bonobos (<i>Pan paniscus</i>) at LuiKotale, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Golden‐bellied mangabeys (<i>Cercocebus chrysogaster</i>) exhibit a larger home range and longer travel distances than those of bonobos (<i>Pan paniscus</i>) at LuiKotale, Democratic Republic of the Congo Open
Primate ranging behavior is associated with numerous social and ecological correlates. Interspecific comparisons of ranging behavior can therefore provide insight into the socio‐ecological conditions that characterize a species' niche with…
View article: Neopterin Levels in Bonobos Vary Seasonally and Reflect Symptomatic Respiratory Infections
Neopterin Levels in Bonobos Vary Seasonally and Reflect Symptomatic Respiratory Infections Open
View article: Investigating the impact of a long-term research and conservation project on the expansion of land use and land cover in a remote area of central DRC
Investigating the impact of a long-term research and conservation project on the expansion of land use and land cover in a remote area of central DRC Open
Anthropogenic impact and population growth have caused a dramatic loss of biodiversity worldwide. Deforestation due to logging, mining, and burning are of particular severity in tropical rainforests with the Amazonian and Congolese basins …
View article: Assessing the effects of survey-inherent disturbance on primate detectability: Recommendations for line transect distance sampling
Assessing the effects of survey-inherent disturbance on primate detectability: Recommendations for line transect distance sampling Open
Habitat destruction and over-hunting are increasingly threatening the arboreal primates of Central Africa. To establish effective conservation strategies, accurate assessments of primate density, abundance, and spatial distribution are req…
View article: Transition to siblinghood causes a substantial and long-lasting increase in urinary cortisol levels in wild bonobos
Transition to siblinghood causes a substantial and long-lasting increase in urinary cortisol levels in wild bonobos Open
In animals with slow ontogeny and long-term maternal investment, immatures are likely to experience the birth of a younger sibling before reaching maturity. In these species, the birth of a sibling marks a major event in an offspring’s ear…
View article: Author response: Transition to siblinghood causes a substantial and long-lasting increase in urinary cortisol levels in wild bonobos
Author response: Transition to siblinghood causes a substantial and long-lasting increase in urinary cortisol levels in wild bonobos Open
View article: Dominance or Tolerance? Causes and consequences of a period of increased intercommunity encounters among bonobos (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale
Dominance or Tolerance? Causes and consequences of a period of increased intercommunity encounters among bonobos (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale Open
View article: Transition to siblinghood causes substantial and long-lasting physiological stress reactions in wild bonobos
Transition to siblinghood causes substantial and long-lasting physiological stress reactions in wild bonobos Open
In mammals with a slow ontogeny, the birth of a sibling marks a major developmental transition. Behavioral studies suggest that this event is stressful for the older offspring, but physiological evidence for this is lacking, and it remains…
View article: Attractiveness of female sexual signaling predicts differences in female grouping patterns between bonobos and chimpanzees
Attractiveness of female sexual signaling predicts differences in female grouping patterns between bonobos and chimpanzees Open
View article: What fecal analyses reveal about <i>Manniophyton fulvum</i> consumption in LuiKotale bonobos (<i>Pan paniscus</i>): A medicinal plant revisited
What fecal analyses reveal about <i>Manniophyton fulvum</i> consumption in LuiKotale bonobos (<i>Pan paniscus</i>): A medicinal plant revisited Open
Observations of animals in the wild can result in the discovery of plants for human medicinal purposes. In this context, our closest relatives, the great apes, are of particular interest. The Euphorbiaceae Manniophyton fulvum possesses bot…
View article: Dominance style is a key predictor of vocal use and evolution across nonhuman primates
Dominance style is a key predictor of vocal use and evolution across nonhuman primates Open
Animal communication has long been thought to be subject to pressures and constraints associated with social relationships. However, our understanding of how the nature and quality of social relationships relates to the use and evolution o…