Generations at Gombe: Elizabeth Lonsdorf on Chimpanzee Mothers, Babies, and the Power of Long-Term Study

In this episode of Talking Apes we’re joined by Elizabeth Lonsdorf whose decades spanning career has been rooted at Gombe, the iconic chimpanzee research site founded by Dr. Jane Goodall. What started as a project to study tool-use in wild chimps has evolved into a lifetime of discovery. Elizabeth, now co-director of the Gombe Mother-Infant Project, explores the most intimate relationships in chimpanzee society: mothers and their babies.

How does a chimpanzee’s early life adversity—such as losing its mother—affect its behavior as an adult? How do maternal behaviors pass through generations, and what can this teach us about the evolution of childhood in both chimpanzees and humans? Elizabeth shares how her team tracks these remarkable apes from nest to nest, gathering fecal samples (yes, chimp poop is gold!) and data on everything from social bonds to stress hormones.

Elizabeth discusses how chimps are not just “chimps.” Every community has its own culture, behaviors, and unique challenges. Tune in to find out how the Gombe research team is now following the fifth generation of chimps and why there are still so many mysteries left to uncover in the lives of our closest animal relatives.

You won’t want to miss this deep dive into the generational stories of Gombe chimps.

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