About this Course

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Chimpanzees are one of our closest living relatives, yet almost nothing was known about their behavior in the wild until Jane Goodall started her groundbreaking study of the chimpanzees of Gombe, Tanzania in 1960. This study continues today, following the same chimpanzee families that Jane Goodall first encountered over 55 years ago. Guided by three course instructors who have lived and worked with the Gombe chimpanzees, you will learn how Goodall’s early discoveries changed our view of human uniqueness. By completing the course, you will gain a new appreciation of the deep similarities between chimpanzees and humans in intelligence, tool use, hunting, personality and social relationships, as well as some key differences. You will learn how chimpanzees interact with their environment and how their behavior is influenced by ecology, as well as the severe conservation challenges they face today. And you will employ your new knowledge of chimpanzees to construct a persuasive argument for their protection. This course is open to everyone interested in learning more about these fascinating and complex beings. Knowledge of high-school level biology is beneficial but not required. Please keep in mind, however, that the content of this course will cover all aspects of chimpanzee life, including scientific discussion of sexual and aggressive behaviors.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.92/5 (80 Ratings)

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(2,420 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Introduction

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 3 min), 3 readings

3 hours to complete

The Early Days

For this week, learners will experience the adventure and risks that Jane Goodall undertook in launching her research at Gombe. Learners will be able to recognize why it's important to study chimpanzees and the kinds of research questions we can ask by studying them. Learners will be able to identify different techniques used to collect the different kinds of data necessary to answer the research questions. Additionally, learners will be able to identify the range of chimpanzee populations across Africa and the structure of chimpanzee communities.

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 47 min), 5 readings, 5 quizzes

9 videos

Early Days at Gombe4mEarly Discoveries2mHabituation5mWhat We Can Learn From Chimpanzees5mData Collection at Gombe5mNew Technologies at Gombe5mChimpanzees in Africa4mCommunity Structure5mPopulation Differences8m

5 readings

Africa In My Blood by Jane Goodall30mDiscussion Prompt: Studying Chimpanzees5mYou can participate as a citizen scientist for chimps10mDiscussion Prompt: Studying Behavior5mDiscussion Prompt: Comparing Chimpanzee and Human Behavior5m

5 practice exercises

Jane's Arrival and Early Days at Gombe15mWhat We Can Learn from Chimpanzees15mChimpanzee Range and Ecology15mWeek One Comprehensive Assessment25mJust for fun: Identify these chimps!15m

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Early Life and Mother-Infant Bonds

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 22 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

7 videos

Pregnancy, Birth, and Newborns4mCommunity Reactions to Newborns5mCosts of Motherhood2mDevelopmental Milestones2mWeaning and Independence3mSiblings and Playmates1mPlaying to Learn1m

4 readings

Discussion Prompt: Comparing number of infants between chimps and humans5mTemper Tantrums30mDiscussion Prompt: Orphans5mDiscussion Prompt: Play5m

4 practice exercises

Pregnancy and Newborns10mInfancy10mPlay10mWeek Two Comprehensive Assessment25m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Making a Living in the Forest

Upon completion of this week's materials, learners will be able to create a framework to outline a typical day in the life of a chimpanzee. This includes being able to identify important food sources for chimpanzees and being able to relate differences in diet to changes in behavior. Learners will also be able to hypothesize about the cognitive skills required for chimpanzees to forage and hunt successfully.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 38 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes

8 videos

How Do Chimpanzees Spend Their Time?4mRest and Nest Making4mTravel4mFeeding3mCognition and Feeding2mTool Use and Extractive Foraging5mHunting7mInteractions with Other Species5m

4 readings

Discussion Prompt: Activity Budget10mDiscussion Prompt: Path length5mFinding Food30mDiscussion Prompt: Interactions with other species10m

4 practice exercises

Rest and Travel10mFeeding and Foraging10mInteractions with Other Species10mWeek Three Comprehensive Assessment25m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Social Lives and Relationships

In this week, learners will be able to identify the types of competitive and friendly behavior that chimpanzees demonstrate between and within groups. They will appreciate the importance of dominance hierarchies and how these are determined and be able to evaluate the importance of close social bonds for chimpanzees. Learners will also be able to identify both male and female mating strategies, including female sexual swellings and when they occur. Additionally, by the end of this week learners will be able to explain why there can be conflict between males and females over mating and why inbreeding is worse for females than males.

4 hours to complete

16 videos (Total 62 min), 7 readings, 6 quizzes

16 videos

Living in Groups: Cooperation and Competition2mIntergroup Competition and Cooperative Range Defense8mWithin-Group Competition1mCopy of Living in Groups: Cooperation and Competition2mIntroduction to Dominance3mMale Rank Attainment5mAlpha Tenures and Takeovers2mFemale Dispersal6mFemale Rank Attainment3mCore Areas4mRelationships3mAffiliative Behavior3mSexual Swellings2mFemale Mating Strategies3mMale Mating Strategies4mPaternity and Inbreeding Avoidance5m

7 readings

Patrols30mDiscussion Prompt: Living in Groups10mDiscussion Prompt: Dominance5mDiscussion Prompt: Dispersal Patterns5mDiscussion Prompt: Social Bonds5mDiscussion Prompt: Female Dispersal5mDiscussion Prompt: Female Sexual Swellings5m

6 practice exercises

Intergroup and Within-Group Interactions15mMale Behavior15mFemale Behavior15mRelationships and Behavior15mMating and Reproductive Success15mWeek Four Comprehensive Assessment30m

Reviews

4.9

80 reviews

5 stars
92.21%
4 stars
7.39%
3 stars
0.38%

TOP REVIEWS FROM CHIMPANZEE BEHAVIOR AND CONSERVATION

by ADJul 4, 2020

gave me a basic understanding of the field. a very well structured course

by JJApr 11, 2019

A very interesting overview of chimpanzee behavior, ecology, and preservation. This course makes you want to go to Africa and spend at least some time working with chimpanzee studies.

by SJan 21, 2021

Thoroughly enjoyed the course!! It was fun, informative and inspiring!

by ASOct 11, 2020

This course taught me so much about chimpanzees in a very interesting way. There were also a lot of resources, and the professors were so informative!

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

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Chimpanzee Behavior and Conservation